It Falls On Me
by Bellaniza
Summary: Bulma's wedding to Yamcha is a week away, yet her fears and doubts are increasing as the fateful day approaches. Torn between what she should do, and what she wants to do, is never an easy decision. And what about Vegeta, who has become an unexpected factor in her equation? The battle between the mind and the heart can be won, as long as you can see through both of their illusions.
1. Seeds of Doubt

Hello everyone! This is my second attempt at B/V fan fiction. I'm so excited about this short-story. This idea came to me and I had to roll with it. And no, it's not going to be a typical wedding story where Vegeta confesses his love for Bulma and breaks up her wedding to Yamcha. It will be different for sure, and I hope you'll like it. Please come along with me for the ride, and reviews are more than welcomed!

A/N: This is an AU. I've made Bunny (as we all have deemed her name) pretty observant and smart. Vegeta will be kept mostly his grumpy, irritable, smart-ass, arrogant, sexy self. I do not own DBZ or any of its characters. Especially Vegeta. Because if I owned him, let's just say I'd keep him all to myself. All day and all night.

* * *

**It Falls On Me**

**Chapter 1- Seeds of Doubt**

When Bulma sat down and thought seriously about it, she would panic. An overwhelming, sinking feeling would grip her as though her very essence was being sucked into a fathomless black hole. It would start from the pit of her stomach, creep upwards to her chest, where it clutched her heart and made her feel as though she was on the brink of a meltdown.

When she felt the panic start to set in she would quickly do anything to distract her mind, which was always busy shifting through her fluctuating thoughts. Her favorite reprieve to ease her anxiety, as of late, would be to hole herself up in her lab and work. Her task of choice: repairing and upgrading his royal-pain-in-the-asses' training equipment. That gave her focus. It made her mind narrow and concentrate on the intricate technology that she created, constantly running through complex formulas and etching blueprints of her yet-to-be genius creations. As we all know, the mind controls the body, and as she relaxed and drowned herself in her work, her body relaxed as the flow of panic was curbed and pushed aside to be dealt with another time.

Leave it to her well-meaning but sometimes ditzy mother to smack that panic right front and center again, when Bulma decided she needed a late night snack break. Her eyebrows furrowed when she turned the corner from the hallway and saw the kitchen light already on. She half-expected to see Vegeta in there, no doubt helping himself to a late night snack as well, since he would be the only other crazy person to be up at that ungodly hour of the night also. Then she belatedly remembered that he wasn't there tonight since he had made Goku teleport him back to Vegetasei earlier that evening. He wanted to train in his gravity room there, and demanded for her repair the one in her backyard that he oh-so-conveniently broke _again. _

To her slight surprise, her mother was sitting at the kitchen table, wrapped in a silken baby blue nightgown, looking like she was waiting for something. Or someone.

"Mom, what are you doing up so late?" Bulma asked quizzically as she opened the fridge door and bent down slightly, gazing at her readily available food options. Bunny sipped on her chamomile tea and placed her mug down, gently folding her arms down on the table, and looked at her daughter.

"You've been so busy lately, we haven't had a chance to talk. I figured now would be a good time as any." she said with a sweet, earnest tone, making Bulma straighten up and quirk an interested eyebrow at her mother's antics.

"Alright…" Bulma began rather suspiciously, grabbing an apple from the fridge and joined her mother at the kitchen table. She bit into it, and gave her mother a 'please continue' look.

"Well sweetie, I wanted to see how you're fairing."

"With what?" Bulma asked neutrally, already having an idea of what her mother wanted to talk to her about. If there had been alarms inside her head, they should have started to go off with a soft warning.

"Well, with the wedding plans, of course." Bunny smiled slightly, seeing her daughters' nonchalant attitude start to change to something like unease.

"Everything's great." Bulma clipped coldly. "Everything's going as planned. You know I never leave any stone unturned."

Bunny smiled softly, a hint of sadness in her voice. "You don't seem very…._excited_…about it." she said hesitantly, studying Bulma's blue eyes, searching for something. For what, Bulma didn't know. "You're getting married in less than a week. When I was about to marry your father, I was jumping up and down, giddy with joy, full of impatience. I couldn't wait."

Bulma couldn't help but to huff out slightly. "I _am_ excited. It's just…stressful…planning out an enormous wedding, mom. It's hard getting everything coordinated. That's all." She continued to munch on her apple, not liking how this conversation was going.

"Oh now honey, you are brilliant, just like your father." Bunny gushed endearingly. "I may not be as smart as you or him, but I know that the both of you can multi-task, handle stress, and balance overbearing workloads like it was second nature to you."

"I don't understand, what's that got to do with anything?" Bulma questioned impatiently, unsure of what direction her mom was trying to take their 'mother-daughter' talk in.

Bunny sighed, hoping to word things just right. "Bulma, you're a child of _two_ worlds. When you're here, you're Vice President of Capsule Corp, the largest, most powerful and influential corporation on this planet. You help your father run it, as well as you are a top scientific genius and inventor of our products."

"Okay…" Bulma looked at her mother strangely, shrugging her shoulders, still not understanding the point that her mother was trying to make.

Bunny continued. "And on Vegetasei you pretty much run the show when it comes to their technology and interplanetary trade. You've outfitted Vegetasei with the latest and greatest technology, you've helped their planet's commerce and trade, making them one of the most powerful forces in the universe. Not to mention you've also got Vegeta breathing down your neck, no matter what planet you're on, to have you fix his machines that he's always breaking. You do all this while you're bouncing between worlds, all within a short time span. And you _never_ disappoint…you deliver without ever breaking a sweat." Bunny said, continuing to sip on her tea.

Bulma looked uneasily at her mother, wondering what exactly she was getting to. "So what are you trying to say, mom?"

Bunny sighed softly, turning her gaze from her beautiful daughter to the starry night sky right outside the window. "You're stressed, honey. I can see it. This is supposed to be one of the happiest times in your life. But every time I ask you about how the wedding is going, you shut down. Don't tell me that it's stressful to plan and coordinate this out, I don't believe you. I know you better than that." she turned back to look at her daughter seriously, her voice full of concern.

Bulma started to feel that familiar pull in her stomach. The one she felt when she started to think seriously about the wedding. She felt exposed, as if her mother saw something in her that she herself didn't see….or has been trying _not_ to see. She managed a hard swallow, looking away from her mother's analytical gaze.

"Well it _is_ stressful, mom. Yamcha's been busy with training and his baseball career. Plus he says he isn't good with 'wedding stuff', so I've been left to do it all myself. And I've _been _handling it for the past few months, without his help, thank you very much! Everything has been ordered and arranged, so I don't know what you're talking about." she said rather defensively, trying to push down the growing feeling of unease that was making its way to her chest.

Bunny didn't buy it though. Call it mother's intuition.

"Then if everything is fine and dandy, and you have it handled, then why are you so unhappy about it?" Bunny threw it out there, ready to tackle the topic head on. She knew she might incur her daughter's wrath, for Bulma's temper rivaled even Vegeta's infamous temper. "You don't seem like you want to get married."

Well, maybe Bunny was not so ditzy after all. Talk about hitting the nail right on the head. Not that Bulma would admit it to herself, let alone her mother.

Bulma's eyes flickered briefly with the tell-tail sign of anger. "Well I do…otherwise I wouldn't have said yes!" Bulma said unconvincingly, following her mother's gaze to the starry sky as well, as she took a deep breath and let it out sharply. She was irritable. Bunny kept her silence as she let Bulma continue talking. "We have our ups and downs, like any other relationship. It's nothing new with us. We fight and argue, maybe more than we should, but we still stick with each other, even through all these years! Why _wouldn't_ I want to marry Yamcha?"

"I understand that. But you two have been so on-and-off again for over 10 years. I just want to make sure that you're marrying him because you really love him and because you _want_ to, not because you feel that you _have_ to, or that you should." Bunny pleaded gently.

Bulma couldn't help but to roll her eyes and scoff. "Please mother, no one makes me do anything that I don't want to do. Not even myself! He's the only one I know that isn't with me because of my money, my fame, or my looks. We've been together for a long time, and I won't find another man who will love me for me." Her last few words were grit out begrudgingly, laced with some sort of bitterness that Bunny wasn't aware of.

"Sweetheart, I'm sure there is another man out there somewhere that loves you for you." Bunny assured. Bulma missed her mother's sly word play, not noticing her implication.

Bulma waved her hand in the air, as if she was gently swatting away a bug. "Yeah, yeah I know I'm a catch. That's the problem. I'm highly intelligent, I'm pretty damn good looking, I'm wealthy, powerful, and famous. Every man knows this, that's why I can't trust anyone else. I'd always be worried that they wanted me for what I can offer...that they want everything that comes with _being with me_, instead of actually _wanting me_. Tell me mom, tell me who else on Earth can see past all that, and love me for _me_? Love me for my triumphs, love me for my faults, love me despite my temper, and love me no matter what?" Bulma ended, her voice raising in pitch as her worry and panic began to settle in. She knew Yamcha loved her for who she was, but did tend to use her wealth and her status to his advantage quite often, she bitterly noticed throughout the years.

Bunny turned her attention back to Bulma, and they met eye to eye. She saw the despair and worry in her daughter's eyes, and it called out to her. She needed to heal her daughter somehow. "You're right dear, I don't think there is another man on Earth who can see past all that and truly love you for you." Her gentle tone eased the truth of the words, and she watched Bulma try to hide the hurt evident in her eyes from what she said. "But...I think maybe he doesn't have to be from Earth. Maybe you're looking on wrong planet." Bunny watched as her words sunk in, and saw her daughter's eyes widen slightly, her mouth dropping open a bit in shock.

"What? A Saiyan?" Bulma said, taken aback by the idea. She hadn't thought about it as an option.

"Yes, a Saiyan!" Bunny said seriously. "Look at Goku. He took Chi-Chi for his wife! He's Saiyan, she's human. They had Gohan, so obviously both races are compatible!"

Bulma shook her head. "They are the rare exception, mom. You know Goku's spent just as much time here on Earth as he does back home. Plus he has a much gentler, kinder, friendlier nature than the average Saiyan. The only other Saiyan that is anything like Goku would be Tarble. Besides, it didn't surprise me that Goku would fall for someone like Chi-Chi. And for the most part, I doubt any Saiyan would want _me_ as their mate."

"And if I may ask, why _not_?"

"Because I'm physically weak, and they pride strength and battle prowess above all else." Bulma retorted. She wasn't sure why they were even talking about this! Furthermore, she wasn't sure why she was allowing herself to continue on with this conversation. "They couldn't say much about Goku choosing Chi-Chi, she's a martial artist herself, and stronger than the average human woman anyway, for crying out loud! No one on Vegetasei could really say anything against her, except that maybe she yells too much." Bulma couldn't help but snicker a bit.

"Well you might be physically weaker, but mentally you're as strong as they are. You have the heart of a Saiyan, you're just as prideful, stubborn, temperamental, and fiercely as beautiful. I know since you were a baby that you've been back and forth between both planets, but I sometimes think you're a Saiyan who was born a human." Bunny smiled, trying to bring some lightheartedness into their conversation. It must have worked, since Bulma had a smirk on her lips.

"Well like you said, I _am_ a child of both worlds. Anyway, I don't know _why_ we're talking about this…I'm getting married soon, and talking about how maybe I should have chosen a Saiyan for a husband is irrelevant." Bulma decided to end the conversation, wondering why she was allowing herself to verbally express the doubt-and regret, maybe?- of her decisions. She stood up to throw away her apple core in the garbage, and walked over to wash her hands in the kitchen sink.

"It's never too late, Bulma." Bunny said softly, seriousness thick in her voice. "I know of at least one Saiyan who would have made a good match for you."

"Really? Do humor me, mother." Bulma quipped, waiting for the hilarious match-up she knew her mother would try to make.

"Do I really need to say who?" Bunny asked, which earned her daughter's sudden attention. At seeing Bulma tense up in anticipation, she couldn't help but smile mischievously. "I would think it'd be obvious, sweetie."

Bulma had a confused and troubled look on her face. "Tarble?" she asked disbelievingly, drawing that conclusion from a few minutes earlier. "I can't believe you, mom! He's like my little brother! And he's WAY too young for me!"

"What? No, no, no…" Bunny waved her hand in the air, as if she was brushing the idea away from Bulma's mind. "...not Tarble! I meant your other handsome prince."

Silence.

Realization quickly shattered that silence.

"You have _GOT_ to be kidding me!" Bulma squealed incredulously, eyeing her mother suspiciously again as the imaginary alarms in her head now started to go off. She was startled at the sudden turn of the conversation, and what her mother was insinuating. "You're joking, right? You can't be serious!"

Bunny couldn't help but snicker a bit, seeing how ruffled Bulma's feathers got at the very idea. "I mean, you and Vegeta have been around each other since before you could walk. You spend as much time with him there on his homeworld as he does here with us on ours. You two are pretty much attached at the hip…" Bunny paused briefly, giving her daughter a wink, "..that is, when you're not trying to kill each other."

Bulma couldn't stop the blush that crossed over her beautiful face. She wasn't sure if it was because she was appalled at the idea, or angered, or embarrassed. For some reason, she felt suddenly opened and exposed. How in hell did the trail of questions about her wedding now lead to Vegeta?

"Mom, forgive me, but you're crazy. Me and Vegeta? What makes you think…" Bulma trailed off, shaking her head is disbelief. Don't get her wrong, it wasn't as though he never crossed her mind in that way. She'd be lying to herself if she said he didn't, but she'd be damned if she let her mother or anybody else know of her few lapses in judgment! Maybe a few fleeting times she had thought of Vegeta as more that just…well…whatever they were, but still!-it was never an idea that she entertained seriously.

Bunny nodded, a little too eagerly. "Oh Bulma, he's such a hard worker! Such dedication, such single-minded determination and focus on whatever task is at hand. He's strong, and intelligent, and oh so handsome! He's loyal, fearless, and the only other man in your life that you've been around since before you could remember. He is stubborn and he challenges you! That's the most important thing, I think, is that he challenges you and you're never bored with him around. Plus it doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eyes. He just oozes sexiness."

Bulma crinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out a bit, partly in disgust over her mother's blatant flattery of the man who's driven her insane ever since she could remember. She couldn't understand how her mother could think she'd see Vegeta in that way. Frankly she was kind of grossed out that her own mother was talking about him that way! "Ugh, mom, please. That's gross. We're almost like brother and sister! I don't want to hear about how sexy you think he is."

"Well it's true, you just are too stubborn and blind to see it!"

Bulma threw her arms up in the air, exasperated, feeling like she was being led into a trap. "I'm not being stubborn or blind about anything!"

"Oh honey, you are up to your neck in denial. I see the looks that you give him." Bunny smirked, watching her daughter get more frazzled by the moment.

"_What_ looks?" Bulma challenged.

"Looks that you haven't given Yamcha in years." Bunny simply stated.

At that rebuttal, Bulma looked like she had the air taken from her lungs. Nothing like hearing a truth from one's own mother. Had she been _that_ obvious that the feelings she once had for Yamcha had waned over the years? Was she _that_ stubborn to deny it and continue with convincing herself that she was still in love with him?

Bunny saw her daughter's eyebrows furrow in contemplation. "I've seen the way you look at Vegeta sometimes, and I think you don't even realize that it's happened."

Bulma huffed irritably, turning her attention out the kitchen window again, looking into the starry sky, glad to have her train of thought interrupted. "That _what's_ happened?" she emphasized, waiting for her mother to continue.

"That somehow, in some way, and during some time, you've fallen for Vegeta."

Bulma turned around, alarmed at such an accusation. "That is _so_ far from the truth, mom! How can you even say that?"

"Because I can _see_ it, even if you don't! And I see the looks he steals at you, which you probably don't notice. He probably doesn't even realize it either! If I brought it up I'm sure he would deny it to hell also, just like you." Bunny softened her voice. "Haven't you _ever_ thought of Vegeta in that way, Bulma? Haven't you ever considered the possibility that maybe he sees _you_ in that way?"

Bulma shook her head slightly, not believing the case her mother was presenting her. She saw that her mother was waiting for an honest answer, so she gave her one. "No."

"Bulma…" Bunny said in a 'cut the bullshit' tone. "Stop being defensive and tell the truth."

"Ugh!" Bulma growled unhappily, "Fine mom! Yes, I've thought about him like that. But that was a long time ago, _years ago_, and it didn't mean anything! I wasn't even serious at the time, I was just being stupid. And as for Vegeta thinking of me in some other way, no, I've never considered it. But you know what, this whole conversation really doesn't matter, does it?" Bulma snapped, highly irritated. "This isn't one of those fairy tales, or even those soap operas that you're glued to. This is real life! I don't have feelings for him, and he doesn't have any for me. Have you _not_ noticed the dynamics between us?" she said, throwing her hands up again, only to bring one hand to cover her forehead in exasperation. "We're volatile together! We barely get along most of the time….we argue and fight and yell at each other as much as Yamcha and I do. How can you _say_ that Vegeta and I would be a good match?"

Bunny finished the rest of her tea calmly, unfazed by her daughter's outburst. She stood up and joined Bulma at the kitchen sink, putting her mug down and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, hoping to calm her down. "Well, going by your earlier concerns, Vegeta doesn't care about your wealth, he's got his own. He doesn't care about your fame, his own fame is universal. He doesn't care about your looks, his own good looks rival your own. He doesn't care about your status here on Earth, he's a prince of his own people. It makes sense, honey. I've always thought you two would be perfect together."

"Those are _not_ legitimate reasons on why we'd be a good match, mom." Bulma sighed, calming down significantly, feeling bad for having freaked out on her mom. She was still wondering why part of her wanted to hear her mother plead her case. Yes, it was hypocritical, since Vegeta matched and surpassed every worry she had when it came to finding someone else, but so what? Just because Vegeta met those qualifications, doesn't mean he was the right one for her.

"Okay, I'll tell you the real reasons why." Bunny's tone went soft but very serious. "When you and Yamcha fight, there is a lot of distress, and pain, and heartache. Most of the time you are the one who's suffering through the relationship, and he's no worse for wear from it. You always accept him back no matter the hurt he's put you through, and all the while you are growing unhappier with him and with yourself."

"Mom…you don't understand…" Bulma began, as her eyes teared up, suddenly feeling her throat constrict slightly from some sort of emotion she couldn't put a name on. Fortunately her mother squeezed her shoulder, gently silencing whatever words were going to come out next.

"Yes, I _do_ understand. But _you're_ the one who needs to understand that you need to be happy and I just don't see you finding it with Yamcha, even after all these years you two were together, even through all you've been through. Time is running short, and I don't want to see you unhappy, and making the wrong decision. So I will say my peace now, and leave you to think it over."

Bulma sniffled and nodded. "Fine, go ahead. But it won't change anything." she said softly, looking at the vast star-filled sky, quickly honing in on her beloved planet Vegetasei. She could always find it, whether she tried to or not.

"Now you and Vegeta have pretty much grown up together, and I've seen how you two interact with each other throughout the years. Yes, you two clash, but only because you are equals. When you and Vegeta argue, it is mostly because you both agree on the end results but just have different means on how to get there. You two challenge each other, to see who will be victorious, to see who will submit to the other first. You only make each other better and stronger. Your arguments and tempers can be fierce, but they are always temporary, and there are no hard feelings that remain, no grudges, no intentional pain. Eventually one of you always goes and seeks the other out again. You two can't stand to be apart from each other, although I know you both don't see it that way." Bunny wrapped one arm around Bulma's arm, and joined her gaze out the window.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Bulma denied, not willing to let her mother's words sink into her mind and into her heart. She was just having pre-wedding jitters and doubts, those were completely normal, weren't they?

"Yes you do. You know Vegeta's the only one who can stand up to you, and you're the only one he allows to stand up to him. I guarantee you the other Saiyan women don't have the same freedoms and liberties around him like you do. He might be angry and grumble and complain about things you want to do, or how you think things should be done, but he almost always bends to your will. And when he puts his foot down, you bend to his. In a way, you both are so eager to please each other." Bunny paused for a few moments, letting her words sink into, what she hoped, was her daughter's heart. "I see how happy you are when he compliments your work."

"Pfft!" Bulma snorted. "And that isn't often. If you can even call it a compliment!"

"You're right, but whenever he does, you light up as bright as the sun, and his approval means the world to you. Or when you invite him for different holidays or to the Capsule Corp galas, he says he won't go, but he almost always ends up coming along, just to make you happy."

"To make me happy? More like to hear me stop bitching at him about it. And trust me, he sure complains and gives me hell for making him do it too."

"You know you can't make that man do anything he doesn't want to." Bunny smiled at seeing Bulma roll her eyes slightly. It was true. "And vice versa, when you praise him for something, or thank him, or shower him with attention, he gets that adorable blush on his cheeks and shies away from you, and gets all grumpy and hurries off to go do whatever he does...oh it's so cute." Bunny gushed. "How can you not notice _any_ of that?"

"Mom, I think this is all in your head. You've been watching too many soap operas….or reading too many of those sleazy romance novels." Bulma muttered, as now she starting thinking over some memories, wondering if her mother was right about some things. It couldn't be true, could it?-that maybe Vegeta did see her in a different way? It was making her second-guess herself.

"Maybe, but I know love when I see it." Bunny said boldly, earning a stern look from her daughter.

"I don't love Vegeta, mom. And he sure as hell doesn't love me."

"Oh Bulma honey, even with all the evidence laid out, why do you and Vegeta keep denying that there is something between you?" Bunny asked as her daughter pulled away from her and walked across the kitchen, clearly exasperated.

"Because there _ISN'T_ anything going on between us, mom! I don't know where you're getting these delusions from, but _he's_ a Prince of another race, and _I'm_, for all intents and purposes, a human scientist who pretty much works for him. That's it! It doesn't matter that we've known each other and been around each other our whole lives, or that we'd be 'perfect' for each other, as you say. Because the fact of the matter is, I don't have any romantic feelings towards him, and he would never have any towards me!" Bulma ground out, getting fed up with the conversation. She was ready to leave the kitchen and get back to her lab.

This was ridiculous! She was supposed to be getting married in less than a week to Yamcha, for Kami's sake! Not staying up late, having a heart-to-heart with her mother about how she should consider the tumultuous Saiyan prince as something more than her…well…friend? No, they weren't really friends. Certainly not romantically involved either. Like brother and sister? They certainly argued like they were siblings, but that's as far as it went in terms of familial relations. Were they companions? That sounded a little more plausible. Business partners? Hmm…maybe that's what they were. Well damn, she couldn't really place what exactly they were! Wait, why was this important? She wasn't supposed to be talking about anything else but her marriage to Yamcha! Wasn't she supposed to be excited and looking forward to it?

"Do you love Yamcha?" The off-topic question startled Bulma for a moment.

"What? Of course I do!" she barked out rather quickly, turning back around at her mother, crossing her arms across her chest and standing firmly. "I wouldn't be marrying him if I didn't."

Bunny couldn't help the ghost of a smile on her face, seeing her daughter's defensive and guarded stance, reminiscent of Vegeta's own. Her comments veered off-topic once again. "You've been around him too long, you know. You're starting to pick up his mannerisms. You look just like him right now."

"Who?" Bulma absently asked, her thoughts distracted still from her mother's previous revelations, as she felt she needed to analyze the conversation over again now. Being a scientist had it's downfalls, because now the equation was not adding up to perfection, and she needed to figure out where she went wrong somewhere.

"Who do you think?" Bunny asked, giggling slightly, seeing her daughter finally glance into her reflection from the patio doors. She stood, observing her posture. Her arms crossed tightly across her chest, her legs standing shoulder-width apart, with one leg sticking out slightly further. The slight scowl on her face. Bulma huffed and rolled her eyes slightly, letting her arms uncross and drop to her sides as she relaxed her posture.

"Great, that's the last thing I need, to start being more like Vegeta." Bulma shook her head, walking over to the granite-topped kitchen island, leaning back against it. Absent-mindedly she crossed her arms across her chest again, and crossed one ankle in front of the other. She returned her gaze outside the kitchen window, and stood silent in serious contemplation. After a few moments, she had decided on her final words on the subject. "I love Yamcha. That's why I'm marrying him." She wasn't sure if she was reassuring her mother, or herself.

Nevermind the nauseous feeling she got when she thought about getting married in less than a week. Nevermind the panic that set in when she thought about being tied down to one man forever, and losing her freedom. Nevermind the suffocating doubt that she already had about marrying Yamcha, now increased double-fold thanks to her mother's heart-to-heart late night chat.

"Alright honey…" Bunny said dejectedly, saddened at the tone of finality in Bulma's words. "…as long as you know what you're doing, and it's what you want, then your father and I will support you all the way." she gave her daughter a gentle smile. Bulma saw the disappointment in her eyes. "I'm glad we had this talk." She knew the issue had been pressed to the limits when she saw her daughter's dark gaze and sensed that Bulma was none too pleased that a wrench was thrown into the proverbial mix. She was already on the brink of having a mid-life crisis, and her well-meaning talk with her daughter seemed to have done more damage than good.

Bulma nodded, scowl still on her face, unwilling to let her mother's crazed ideas get to her. "Me too." she said, her mind running through the conversation her and her mother just had. Too many factors, too many bits of information to analyze. She needed to find an answer. "Mom, it's really late, it's going to be daylight soon…I think I'm going to try to get some sleep. It's been a long day."

"Of course, and you have a busy day tomorrow. You need to try on your dress again, to make sure it's still a perfect fit for this Saturday. And the design team is going to come by the ballroom around noon to start the decorating for the reception. And the florists are going to bring their flower samples to make sure you're happy with the arrangements and the colors." Bunny said in a lighter tone. She needed to make peace with her daughters decision, and knew there needed to be _some_ happiness in this wedding. She just hoped it would start rubbing off on Bulma.

And soon.

"Yeah…" Bulma covered her face with her hands, rubbing them downwards over her eyes and the rest of her face. She looked very tired. "I'm probably going to have Goku take me to Vegetasei tomorrow sometime. There were some schematics and other files I left in my lab over there that I forgot to make copies of, that I need to transfer back to Earth. Plus I'm sure Vegeta will want to know his gravity room over here has been all fixed up."

"Then you should get to bed, dear. And so should I, for that matter, since I don't have to make a huge breakfast for once." Bunny smiled.

Bulma smirked. "No one's cooking is as good as yours, mom. Not one person in the whole universe can match your culinary expertise. I'm sure even Vegeta would agree." she gave her mother a genuine smile. "Good night."

"Good night, honey." Bunny said, watching her daughter leave the kitchen and head upstairs towards her bedroom. She bit her lower lip a bit and wondered if maybe she was wrong, that maybe there wasn't anything going on between Vegeta and her daughter. No, she couldn't be wrong. It was just something that they were going to have to figure out for themselves.

And the clock was ticking.

Meanwhile, after Bulma changed into her pajamas, brushed her teeth, and went to bed, she couldn't stop thinking about everything her mom talked to her about. It was crazy. Sure, she was having a horrible case of cold feet, but she loved Yamcha, and wanted to marry him.

Right?

'Hmph, me and Vegeta. What an imagination.' Bulma thought to herself, as her mind ran over endless memories she had with him, trying to dissect any behavior that might have stood out from her and Vegeta, analyzing it and trying to see if there we was something there that she didn't notice before. Too bad Bulma was using her mind to figure things out, instead of her heart. Eventually her head started to hurt with all the thoughts she had over everything, and she submitted to the comforting darkness of sleep.

Sleep was good. Sleep was her escape from the pressures of her life and the pressures of the two worlds she was completely committed to. As of late it was her escape from all her doubts, fears, and misgivings about getting married. She happily welcomed the darkness to envelop her, as it promised her that she would feel better about everything in the morning.

Unfortunately for her, sleep was a liar, and it would not give her any rest tonight.

* * *

Well there you go, folks! I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! I know it was long, but it pretty much laid out the foundation for the rest of the story. Please be so kind as to leave me a review and tell me what you think! I don't have much experience writing….all these ideas just run through my head and I pretty much write it as I think about it ^_^

And no worries, Vegeta will be coming into the story very soon!


	2. Swimming Through Sick Lullabies

Wow! Thanks to each and every one of you who reviewed, chose it as a favorite, and/or are following my story! I have to say, I am humbled…I wasn't sure if anyone would read this, let alone like the story so far. I appreciate the time you take out of your day to read a fan fiction about my favorite anime couple. They must hold a special place in your hearts as well, since you're reading this…and we all know that great minds think alike! Nice to know I'm in good company! Thank you for making me feel welcomed into the fan fiction world.

A/N: Sorry for the wait, work has been crazy and the days have been long. I hope you enjoy this next chapter! I don't own DBZ or any of its characters. If I did, I would have made Vegeta the main focus. It's all about the anti-heroes.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Swimming Through Sick Lullabies**

Bulma slept deeply and soundly for a very short part of the late night. Working hard everyday, stressing out, and getting by on only a handful of hours of sleep a night for the past few weeks would burn anyone out. She had been lost in the oblivion of the darkness, as her body sank into the deepest of sleep cycles. It was during this time that her subconscious came into play, and presented her with a dream she could not escape from.

She didn't know how the dream started, or that she was even dreaming for that matter, as Bulma found herself surrounded in absolute darkness, with only a soft light bathing over where she stood. She looked around at the black void, and saw another light further down in the distance. She took a step tentatively outside the perimeter of the ring of light, expecting her foot to touch nothing but air but found solid ground instead. Curious by nature, she quickly took off, hurrying through the darkness to make her way to the only other light around. As she approached it she noticed a man cloaked in the shadows of the light, standing there…waiting for her.

"Hello?" Bulma called out softly, unsure of who this man was, or what he wanted.

"It's about time." the male voice said. It sounded very familiar, but she couldn't quite place who it was. Before she could question any further, the scenery changed around her, and she shielded her eyes from a rapid whirlwind of brightness and color. She found herself dazed, in the middle of a church, with her arm around her father's. She gathered from her surroundings that she was already more than halfway down the aisle, heading towards an altar.

"What's going on?…" Bulma trailed off, shocked at the abrupt change around her, and she looked over at her father, who gave her arm a squeeze.

"Why, it's your wedding, sweetie." Dr. Briefs chuckled, as they approached the altar. Bulma gulped with difficulty, and stole a quick glance-over of the wedding party, her eyes then settling on the groom.

A groom who was a dark, shadowy figure, with no discernable features.

"I-I can't marry you." Bulma squeaked out, afraid of whoever this shadow man was.

"Very funny, Bulma." Yamcha's amused voice rang out from behind her. She glanced back behind her shoulder, expecting to see Yamcha. She only saw the crowd of spectators there for her wedding, laughing at her comment.

"What…?" she trailed off, momentarily distracted by his absence. Suddenly she felt her arm being handed over to the groom, who had now turned into a recognizable person. It was Yamcha, dressed in a dashing black tuxedo.

"I was beginning to think you stood me up." Yamcha smiled, bringing her arm and the side of her body tight against his own, almost painfully. Bulma's discomfort and unease was apparent. Even in her dream she began to panic, as time seemed to warp, and before she knew it, Yamcha was saying 'I do.'

"Bulma, do you take Yamcha to be your wedded husband? To have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?" the presiding official asked her.

Hell, she was still struggling to free herself from Yamcha's grasp, let alone answer him! Was he crazy? How could he expect an answer from her right at this instant?!

"I…I can't do this right now! I need a moment! Let go of me!" Bulma cried out in distress. It seemed like Yamcha nor anyone else had even heard what she said.

"She's speechless with happiness." Yamcha spoke proudly, earning laughter from the crowd. "Of course she does." he answered for her, causing Bulma to freak out.

She tried to speak again, to deny everything and stop the wedding, but she couldn't get her voice to work. She tried and tried, straining to speak, but nothing came out! Her struggles against his grasp were futile. In desperation, she looked behind her, over her shoulder at her parents, trying to plead for them to help her. Abruptly, she felt the iron grip that had been on her arm loosen up completely.

"Now's not the time to get cold feet, woman. You insisted we have an Earthling wedding, so kindly answer the man." a stern whisper hit Bulma's ears. She quickly whipped her head back around, only to look right into Vegeta's formidable eyes. She gasped, and looked down, seeing their arms hooked together, holding hands. Where did Yamcha go? She looked back up at Vegeta, seeing urgency etched on his handsome face. "If you do not wish to be my mate anymore, then I will end this right now."

"But-I don't-what?…" Bulma stammered, not understanding what was going on. At least her voice was working again.

"Bulma, do you take Prince Vegeta, or not?" the official said, rudely pressing her for an answer. Vegeta glared at him with a deadly look, and he wisely decided to snap his mouth shut, giving them a much needed moment to talk.

Vegeta gently pulled her closer towards him. "If you are changing your mind, woman, tell me now. There's no going back after this." he said softly into Bulma's ear. She had expected him to be lit up with rage at her indecision, not as calm and serious-minded as he was at this moment! His close proximity had unnerved her. A slight shiver ran through her. It wasn't unpleasant, but it wasn't pleasurable either.

"It's not _that." _Bulma emphasized, trying to explain. What the hell happened? One moment she was getting married to Yamcha, and now Vegeta?

He seemed somewhat relieved. "I knew this Earthling wedding was a waste of time." Vegeta sneered, crossing his arms across his chest, expressing his discontent.

"Our wedding is _NOT_ a waste of time!" she whispered harshly back, glaring at him. Vegeta's eyes seemed to sparkle in amusement, a smirk on his lips.

"When we get back to Vegetasei, we'll have a proper royal wedding. It's the only one that counts." he said very matter-of-factly.

"You have some nerve!" Bulma grit back out, ready to pick up her dress and storm away from him. How dare he think such a beautiful traditional Earth wedding didn't count! It mattered to her, damn it! It was important for them to be married under Earth customs also! "You know it's important to _me_! If you don't want to marry me on Earth, then I sure as hell won't marry you on Vegetasei!" As she started to turn away from him, Vegeta's arm reached around her waist, pulling her back over to him. He leaned in close, looking into her eyes, a predatory smile gracing his lips.

"Calm down, woman. I wouldn't have agreed to this if I didn't want to. I'll go along with your silly Earth wedding, but to become _my_ princess, nothing short of a royal Saiyan wedding will do."

His dulcet tones managed to calm Bulma down a bit, as she huffed in irritation. "Then stop being a jerk about it!"

Vegeta perked an eyebrow up, amused. "You're the one who's not answering the question."

"I…" she stammered, not sure how to reply to that. What was the question again? Oh yes, did she take Vegeta for her husband?

That was one hell of a question.

"Answer the man, and let's get on with it. We've got another wedding to go through with. Not to mention a honeymoon…" Vegeta whispered in a husky tone. "I promise you that no honeymoon on Earth will match where I will be taking you to, or everything I plan to do to you." he assured, bringing the tip of his tail to caress her arm, in a rare display of affection.

Bulma managed a difficult swallow, feeling butterflies in her stomach. Damn his words and sexy voice. And that tail! The simple, but profound, gesture of affection he made towards her had her biting her lip softly. Not to mention the lust that was swimming in his dark eyes for her. Or maybe it was the other way around?

An awkward clearing of the official's throat pulled both Bulma and Vegeta away from their moment with each other, and they dually glared at him. "Bulma, do you take Prince Vegeta to be your husband?" the presiding official asked, his voice shaking a little, looking like he didn't want to be blasted to bits by the surly Saiyan prince for interrupting their heated moment.

"I…" Bulma hesitated fleetingly, and looked at Vegeta again. What was she doing? She was going to marry Vegeta? She was not in her right mind. " I do."

Yep, she was definitely _not_ in the right state of mind.

"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride." the official gestured at Vegeta, bowing in respect. Bulma suddenly felt Vegeta's tail curl around her waist and bring her body flush against his.

She began to feel some sort of nervous excitement, being so close to him, as she felt his lips close in on hers. She closed her eyes, and could not really feel his lips, or the intensity of the kiss….perhaps because she truly did not know what it was like to kiss him. Alarmingly, the grip around her waist began to tighten and hurt, and she opened her eyes and pulled away, ready to snap at Vegeta for being so rough with her, only to see it was Yamcha again.

"What!" Bulma squealed out, not understanding why Vegeta was now Yamcha. Where was Vegeta? What happened to him? Who had she married?!

"We did it, babe. Now we're together, forever!" Yamcha said in a sickeningly sweet tone. "You're mine, and now everyone knows it!" Suddenly, before she knew it, she was caught in a swirl of colors and sounds, and the scenery morphed again. Now they were on the Capsule Corp grounds, at their reception in the ballroom. Everyone was happily eating and chatting away, not noticing the newlyweds.

"NO!" Bulma yelled out, pushing Yamcha away from her, breaking free from his arm around her waist. "No I didn't want this! How could you do this to me? You _forced_ me into marrying you!" she yelled out bitterly, beginning to cry in her dream.

"You said 'I do!' " Yamcha yelled out, getting angry. He gripped the sides of her arms. "If you didn't want to marry me, you should have said something!"

Bulma started choking on her sobs. "I did! But you couldn't hear me, no one was listening to me!"

"Well, it's too late now." Yamcha smirked proudly. "Ah it's nice to be married to the richest, most beautiful and powerful woman on Earth. And someday I'll be owner of half of the corporation!" he boasted, ignoring Bulma now as he walked over to an scantily-clad female wedding guest, putting his arm around her and leaning into her, and began to whisper sweet nothings into her ear. He earned a horrified gasp from Bulma.

"You _bastard!_ We just got married!" Bulma seethed, going up to Yamcha and smacking her fists against his chest. "What's wrong with you?! How could you be cheating on me again already?! Am I not good enough?! How can I keep trusting you?!" She continued to cry and rage against him, bitter and heartbroken that she was now tied down to a man she wasn't sure she had wanted to marry.

Bulma was tossing and turning uncomfortably in her bed, whimpering in distress and crying from her dream. She could not break free from it.

Her dream continued on, and in it, Yamcha shrugged her off, turning and walking off with the other woman in his arms, as the wedding guests continued on as if they never saw what happened. Feeling the panic grip her once again, she gathered up her wedding dress and ran crying out of the ballroom, down a private hallway. She sank down against a wall, gathering her knees up to her chest and covered her face with her arms, feeling like she had lost control of everything. It was a feeling she was not familiar with. Her sobs wracked her body, and around her the darkness started to engulf her. She looked up, expecting to see the hallway she was in, and instead saw her dream fading away into blackness.

The darkness was menacing and suffocating, as she felt she was stuck in some hellish never-ending eternity. This time she was frightened. She once again saw a light in the darkness, very far away from her…farther than it had been the first time. She managed to stand up, and this time ran full speed toward the light, feeling as though something ominous and intimidating was behind her, trying to drag her into its depths. As she reached the light, she stopped dead in her tracks, seeing a very familiar outline of a man. A man with his arms across his chest, standing strong and unyielding, with long, spiked up hair that looked like a black flame.

"Vegeta?" Bulma questioned in uncertainty, unconfident of what was going on anymore.

"It's about time you made your way to me." he said darkly, scowling at her. He looked intimidating, the shadows of light and dark that crossed his face made him look menacing. Bulma wasn't sure if she should be unnerved at his appearance. But whatever was behind her in the darkness was far more terrifying than the Saiyan prince in front of her.

"Where were you?! Where'd you go?!" Bulma couldn't help but lash out at him. She felt betrayed. She watched Vegeta's face change from displeased to confusion.

"What the hell are you bitching about?! I was there the entire time, watching you marry that sorry excuse for a human." Vegeta said coldly. "Then again, all humans are pathetic."

"Even me?" Bulma asked, as she stepped partially into the light with him. The genuine tone in her voice urged him for the truth.

"You're not as pathetic as the average human. Although marrying the weakling is a lapse in your judgment that is proving to be a hard thing for me to oversee."

"Jerk." Bulma continued to sniffle, harshly nudging Vegeta's chest with one open hand. He didn't budge. She was irritated. Figures he would throw something like this in her face. "Why didn't you stop me from marrying him?"

"It wasn't my place, woman."

"As my friend, you're supposed to tell me when I'm making a bad decision." Bulma remarked, feeling hot tears well up in her eyes again. She tried to not let the tears fall, it would be shameful to cry in front of him, and she didn't want to seem weak in front of Vegeta. Well, it wasn't like he couldn't already tell she had been crying her eyes out…she was sure her makeup must have been smeared all over her face. She probably looked horrible.

"I am not your friend. And my dislike of scar-face is not something that you already didn't know." Vegeta said darkly. Before Bulma could even get a chance to reply, her dream morphed again. The darkness she was surrounded in had given way to the ballroom dance floor, where she and Yamcha were the only ones on it. Everyone else was gathered around, all eyes on them. She quickly forced her tears away, confused as to what was going on. She quickly scanned the audience for any sign of Vegeta.

"He's not here." Yamcha strolled up to her, grabbing her into a ballroom stance as the lights dimmed and music began to play, and he forced her to dance across the floor. She struggled to remove herself from his grasp, but it was like she was glued to him. "So I suggest you start being happy with being married to me. After all, if you didn't want to, you shouldn't have said 'yes' when I asked you."

Bulma started getting angry again. "Let _go_ of me, Yamcha!" she yelled, trying to break herself free, but he wasn't having any of it. "I can still undo this! I don't have to stay married to you!"

"Just smile for the cameras." he said, ignoring her last comment, gesturing over with his head to a group of paparazzi who were snapping endless photos and videotaping their reception. This enraged her even more! They had no place in her most private affairs!

"Why are they here?! I didn't invite them!" Bulma screeched, as they continued snapping photos.

"I know you didn't. I did. We couldn't very well tease the world with such an epic wedding without letting them get to see it first hand. It's great for publicity, babe, and it'll definitely help me with my newfound fame." Yamcha smiled happily for the cameras.

"How could you!" Bulma started to cry again in her dream, struggling against Yamcha's iron grip. "How could you use me this way?! I thought you were the only one in the world who wouldn't do that to me!"

Bulma's pillow was damp with many tears "No! No! Why!" Bulma cried out in her sleep, fighting against the demons that were haunting her. She restlessly thrashed around, willing herself to get out of whatever trap she was in. Very slowly Bulma started to feel her dream slip away from her, as though she was being pulled forward from the deepest vortex of sleep, as her consciousness began to awaken. Her eyes finally opened up, and in fright, she sat up abruptly, looking around in desperation, unsure of what world she was in. She still had some tears streaking down her face as she willed her lungs to breathe deeply, trying to force her body to stop shaking. "What the hell?" she said weakly, her voice trembling as the torrent of emotions from her dream were still raw.

A dream? She's had dreams before. That was no fucking dream.

'A nightmare…' Bulma confirmed quietly in her mind, trying to shake her grogginess off, mentally telling herself over and over that it was just a dream. A very bad dream.

"Kami…" Bulma breathed, covering her face with her hands, still feeling overwhelmed at the intense emotions that carried over from her dreams to the waking world. Couldn't her mind differentiate between a dream and reality? She felt as though all of this really happened! What the hell kind of dream was that? It was too much for her to handle. She let herself fall back onto her bed in a huff, frustrated and plagued with so many more thoughts and emotions that her nightmare had ruthlessly brought to her attention. To her dismay, her pillow was really damp from her crying, and her bed sheets had a sheen of sweat from her panic attack during her sleep. Sighing, she got out of bed, and rubbed her face, trying to shake off how she was feeling. She glanced over at the clock, seeing it was just past 6am. It was almost dawn out.

'Two and a half hours of sleep, you have got to be kidding me. Unbelievable.' she thought irritably. Feeling sweaty and feverish, Bulma gathered a fresh change of clothes and went into her bathroom, and began to draw a warm bath. After undressing, she entered the large tub and rested her head on the neck support. She took a couple of deep, relaxing breaths, and let them out. She closed her eyes, and began to think.

Honestly, she was afraid of going back to sleep, worried she'd slip into another nightmare. If she stayed awake, she was only going to think about the dream. She wasn't sure she wanted to analyze it just yet. She relaxed, letting her hands gently swipe at the layers of bubbles on the surface of the water. She let the gentle motions comfort her, letting the warmth of her bathwater soothe her frazzled nerves. She was trying not to think of the dream, but she couldn't help it. How could she not replay the dream over and over again, analyzing everything the way her scientific mind was trained to do?

She couldn't figure out who the shadowy figure was at the beginning of the dream. She knew she hadn't been scared of him. She realized that since her wedding had been on her mind so much lately, it would only make sense that her dream would be about it. The fact that the shadowy figure turned into Yamcha…well she wasn't sure what that meant. And the way Yamcha treated her up on the altar, forcing her by his side! Her face furrowed, displeased. He wasn't like that in real life, so why in her dream was he so possessive and rough with her? More disturbing, was how she protested against him and panicked. She didn't understand why she would react that way in a dream, when she agreed to marry him in real life. Sure, she was having more than her fair share of doubts about things, but to have reacted that way….

Then in came Vegeta. Well didn't he just make it one big clusterfuck of a mess. 'Kami, what was _that_ all about?' Bulma mentally chastised herself, wondering how in hell her mind put Vegeta at the altar in Yamcha's place. It was that damn talk her mother had with her, putting all these crazy ideas of her and Vegeta into her mind! That _had_ to be it. Like she would ever consider marrying Vegeta! Hell, like he would ever consider marrying her! The fact that unnerved her was that she didn't reallly protest to marrying him. Then came his flirtatiousness and Bulma couldn't help but blush as she thought about what he had said and how she had _felt_ towards him in the dream. The feelings that Vegeta invoked in her within the dream felt very real, but she reasoned that she didn't know what she was doing.

And when she said 'I do' to marrying Vegeta….what in the world compelled her to agree to marry him? She fought tooth and claw against Yamcha, but gave in so easily to Vegeta? 'You're insane, you've really lost it.' Bulma told herself as she soaked in the tub, enjoying the therapeutic water. Her dream made no sense. Her face scowled slightly, thinking about how Vegeta disappeared, and Yamcha came back into the dream. She had flipped out, she felt she had been tricked into marrying Yamcha. 'I'm a horrible person.' Bulma mentally berated herself, unhappy with how she felt towards Yamcha in the dream. She felt like she betrayed him somehow.

Hell, he betrayed her, in real life and in the dream! Even in her dream world, he walked off with another woman! She remembered what she yelled at him about. Perhaps she never really forgave his past infidelities and moved on, since her dream made that perfectly clear. Maybe that was making her be so doubtful about marrying him?

Damn her mother and her talk! It was all her fault, filling her mind with these absurd ideas that she didn't 'want' to marry Yamcha, and that Vegeta would be a 'better' option. No wonder she had such a fucked up dream. Never mind that her actions in the dream reflected exactly that.

Bulma sighed miserably, bringing her hands to her face and rubbing it in frustration. She was still feeling some of the emotions she had felt during her nightmare, but on a much lesser scale. The most frightening part of her whole dream, to her, was the fact that she agreed to marry Vegeta. 'I don't see him in that way….I don't feel anything like that towards him…' Bulma tried to convince herself, but she couldn't dispute it -she had said 'I do' in her dream. Even more unnerving was that Vegeta seemed to want to marry her also. What would make her mind do that? To make her think that Vegeta wanted her as his mate?

"Ugh!" Bulma groaned out in complaint, huffing out in irritation. "It's just a stupid dream, brought on by stress and sleep-deprivation. I didn't know what I was saying or doing…" Bulma said out loud to herself, determined to convince herself, but deep down, the events in her dream bothered her greatly. She decided to get out of the damn tub and get dressed. She couldn't think about the nightmare over and over again anymore, she didn't want to. It was dumb, and stupid, and held no truths in it at all! Dreams came from the mind, and her mind was brilliant, and strong, and logical. This dream meant nothing, and she refused to let it affect her. She refused to let it be a sign.

Alas, no one told her that dreams were pathways, originating from the heart.

* * *

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It was a joy to write. Please, leave a review and let me know what you think! I'm still working on chapter 3, I'm not even close to being done with it, but I can at least tease you with this….Vegeta will be making his official appearance! Anyone else care to join me in the happy-happy-joy-joy dance?


	3. Technical Difficulties

Hi everyone! I'm very sorry for the wait! I worked 49 hours this past week, and I tried to work on this chapter whenever had the time! I've been just as antsy to get this out there for you! Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I'm thankful for your reviews, and I'm so glad you're still enjoying the story! I'm going to admit…I'm nervous about this next chapter, I feel it was very rushed since I haven't had much time to work on it. I hope you will leave me a review and tell me what you think.

As a friendly reminder, this is an AU, and although I offered Mr. Toriyama millions of bucks to own the exclusive rights to Dragonball Z, he declined. Whatever….I just wanted Vegeta anyway!

A/N: Let the dancing begin!

* * *

_Legend says, when you can't sleep at night, it's because you are awake in someone else's dream._

**Chapter 3: Technical Difficulties**

Unbeknownst to Bulma, the damage had been done. The late-night talk with her mother, coupled with her revealing dream, started her on a troubled path that still had an undetermined outcome. Variables bothered her. They had no place in her work, or in her head. Her reason always added up to perfection. Now, she felt her world had been turned upside-down.

'I should try to get more sleep. The wedding planners will be here soon, and I've got a lot to do today. I can't keep thinking about ridiculous dreams.' Bulma scolded herself as she finished getting dressed. She walked into her closet, put on a pair of flip-flops, and gathered an extra pillow and a spare blanket to take with her outside. Fall was upon them, and it was starting to get cool in the morning. She made her way through the quiet complex, stepping outside to her beautiful backyard. She noticed dew on the grass that she walked on, and couldn't help but smile at the feeling of it as it nipped at her toes.

She walked over to her treasured hammock. Arranging her pillow just right, she lied down on it, feeling somewhat better as she covered herself with the blanket.

Being cocooned in her hammock was one of her favorite things to do, especially late at night, when she could stargaze out into the heavens and wonder what was going on out there in the universe, imagining what business and fun she was missing out on during the times she was bound to Earth.

Being outside on her hammock brought a thought to her. For spending as much time out in the wilderness as Yamcha did, she didn't understand why he never was fond of staying up late with her outside and join her in looking at the night sky. It was 'boring', he had said, always preferring to watch a sports game or a movie indoors, or go out clubbing, than spend time with her outside for no other reason that just to do it.

Reluctantly, she then thought of Vegeta, who would tend to join her, even when they were children. He always seemed to like looking at the universe as much as she did. Even as they grew older, if he was Earthbound and she was outside on a night she could not sleep, or had things to think over, he would eventually go out here with her. He would sit down on the ground, lean against one of the tree trunks that held her hammock, and just…._be_ outside with her. The majority of the time they would be together in silence, and not really talk about anything, but the mutual companionship was nice, it was something that was…

'Always there.' Bulma half-heartedly admitted, as she sighed heavily. How could something so simple as relaxing outside with Vegeta, something that happened thousands of times, that didn't mean anything to her back then, look like it meant something now? Could _that_ be what her mom was talking about? How one of them was always seeking out the other?

Bulma tried to reason that Vegeta came along to Earth with Goku for the hell of it, since Goku was also balancing two worlds as well. Goku and Chi-Chi decided to keep their home on Earth, for the benefit of Gohan's education, although Goku traveled extensively between both worlds with his son, making sure Gohan was as much Saiyan as he was human. Bulma couldn't help but smile at the thought of her godson. He truly was a child of both worlds.

That brought her to another thought.

Vegeta, in a way, was also like her. He didn't have to come to Earth when he wasn't supposed to be here, but he did anyway. He was always so busy with his training, and politics, and business, and so many other responsibilities. She would expect to not see him at all, whether she was planet bound on Vegetasei or not. And as she thought it over, she admitted to herself that she would still see him quite often. No matter what he was dealing with, he managed to squeeze some time out of his busy schedule to see her. Not that he was consciously _trying_ to see her, but he did make his appearances to bug her about repairs or upgrades to his training equipment, or he would have some sort of interplanetary trade issue he had to speak with her about. He might have to talk with her about business, or have her come up with some new invention for some sort of issue, or might seek her input a vast selection of things. Even when he was bound to Vegetasei, he would still show up on Earth and join for dinner, or stay overnight for whatever reason.

He would sit outside with her at night, if she was on her hammock.

To simply be with her, perhaps? The idea was unsettling.

And what about her? She supposed she did seek him out as well. She would monitor his vital stats and energy output while he was training, and if he injured himself, which he almost always did, she'd chastise him and make him go to the medical bay. It was almost like she was his own personal nurse, always tending to his wounds! Not that Bulma didn't trust her father or the Saiyan medics-because she did!-but she always preferred to take a look at his injuries herself, just to make sure. If he happened to be in the grand dining hall in the royal palace, she naturally gravitated to him, sitting with him as they shared a rare meal together. Many times he would be so busy that he wouldn't eat, and she would bother the hell out of him until he demanded that she bring him something to eat. Well, she reasoned, she couldn't be _made_ to do anything, so she willingly brought him some food.

And when she was swamped with work, either at Capsule Corp, her lab at home, or burning the midnight oil back at her lab on Vegetasei, she always made time for Vegeta…whether it was to fix his machines, or do whatever work he needed her to do. She also found the time...between lack of sleep, helping her father run a massive corporation, being the lead scientist and inventor of the company, doubling over as an ambassador and top scientist and inventor to the Saiyan empire...to have Goku teleport her to Vegetasei when she was Earthbound, just to spend time over there for the hell of it.

And maybe just to see Vegeta, perhaps? To spend time with him and be around him?

She unwillingly admitted to herself that for whatever reason, Vegeta was around her more than Yamcha. Yamcha-who was bound _only_ to Earth, who spent most of his time at his baseball practices, working on his career, and training in the wilderness for weeks on end. Yamcha-who couldn't manage regular visits to her at home or at Capsule Corp headquarters, or even a phone call to her at least once a week when he wasn't in town! Then again, she was guilty of the lack of effort on her part too. She couldn't be hypocritical. She could make more efforts to go to his baseball practices, and be at his games, she could go out to dinner with him more often, or go watch a movie…and even spend time with him in the wilderness. Was it bad that she didn't want to do that for him? That her thoughts immediately went to Vegetasei if she had any free time, or that she'd stay home and spend time with Vegeta, instead of making an effort to be with Yamcha?

She breathed and exhaled deeply. The realizations were weighing heavily on her mind, and confusing her heart. 'You really screwed up my head, mom.' Bulma thought, as she couldn't help but reflect and dig deeper on only a few of the dynamics her mother had mentioned that existed between her and Yamcha, and her and Vegeta. She was beginning to tread dangerous waters.

She sighed exhaustedly, stretching her hand down to the ground, rocking herself gently in her hammock, watching as the sky was slowly turning from a purple-blue to pink-orange. The general silence was comforting to her, since her own torrent of thoughts and feelings inside of her were quite the opposite. The irony was not lost on her that as the world was soon waking up, she was being lulled to sleep. Drowsily, she closed her eyes, hoping for no more nightmares. Bulma had been thoroughly convinced that her mind had some sort of a meltdown and had expressed absurd scenarios in her dreams to cope with the stress and lack of sleep she had been suffering from. But now…the quiet contemplation as she relaxed outside only proved that her mother was aware of truths that she was just now starting to consider.

Still, she was very sleep deprived, and reasoned that if she could only get a good night's sleep, she'd be feeling a whole lot better about Yamcha, her wedding, and would stop trying to see something in Vegeta's actions that might not really be there. Bulma was sure that once she started to see the wedding decorations, and tried on her dress for the final fitting, that things would change. She would finally see everything start to come together today...and she was sure that the excitement would start to fill her.

It just _had_ to.

* * *

The Saiyan prince growled in frustration, as he slammed his fists into the control panel, effectively bending the metal inward and rendering the system even more unusable.

"You know, Bulma is going to kill you." Goku said worriedly, seeing Vegeta destroy another component of the gravity machine. Vegeta, in his earlier tantrum, had blown a hole straight through the power core, rendering the machine highly damaged and utterly useless.

"Tell me something I don't know, Kakarot." Vegeta replied sarcastically, as he stood, looking over the damage he caused. The woman was going to be pissed.

"Maybe you should get some sleep..." Goku abruptly stopped in mid-sentence after seeing the glare from Vegeta.

"Maybe you should mind your own damn business." Vegeta warned, and Goku threw up his hands a bit, showing that he was going to drop the sore subject. He had found Vegeta hours ago, pacing back and forth in the gravity room _again_, restless as could be. Vegeta had been unable to sleep that night. Come to think of it, he was having a lot of trouble sleeping lately.

All that Goku knew was that Vegeta was on a short fuse. Well, shorter than usual, especially the last couple of weeks. And somehow, someway, Bulma had something to do with it. Goku had his suspicions about what might be causing Vegeta's insomnia, but he wouldn't voice it directly. Being best friends and rivals aside, he knew when to keep his mouth shut when it came to the prince.

Vegeta growled again, fisting his hands at his sides. His thoughts wouldn't escape him. Why the hell was he dreaming and thinking about Bulma so much lately? It was like she was constantly on his mind, and it was driving him mad. It was also driving him to exhaustion. His lack of sleep the past couple of weeks was straining what little patience and civility he already _didn't_ have.

"Alright, well since the gravity room is no longer an option here, how about we use the one back on Earth?" Goku offered amicably, trying to break Vegeta's current train of disturbed thoughts.

Vegeta visibly stiffened at the idea. "I broke that one yesterday too, moron."

"Oh yeah…" Goku trailed off, bringing a hand to the back of his head to scratch it. "…but I'm sure she's got it fixed by now! Or we can stay here, and do some more of your Instant Transmission training."

"I don't need any further training, Kakarot. I know the technique!" Vegeta spat out irritably. He had already learned to teleport within Vegetasei and a few surrounding galaxies, and had that down to a science. Any further than that, and he was still having some trouble feeling out ki's and honing in on them right away. Maybe more training would be beneficial….at least it would make him clear his head and focus on learning how to expand his skill. He was already pissed that he hadn't gone to Planet Yardrat when Goku went, since he was stuck on another planet at the time with his father, talking diplomatic policy and drawing up trade agreements. Goku had learned the technique and had been working with Vegeta, teaching him everything he learned from them.

"Well then, what better training than going to Earth!" Goku chirped happily. "We'll test your transmission range, and you'll get to train in the gravity room! You _can_ teleport us there, _can't you_?" Goku said, his voice laced with challenge. And a challenge it would be, since Earth was in a different quadrant of space.

"Of course I can!" Vegeta scoffed arrogantly, rising to the challenge.

"Are you sure, Vegeta? It's pretty far away. I mean, I learned to teleport to Earth pretty quickly….it's okay if you can't get us there yet." Goku baited.

"Fool, I am the Prince of all Saiyans! I can do anything better than some third-class clown!"

Goku couldn't help but chuckle, giving Vegeta a challenging look. "I'm not a third-class anymore. My power level makes me an elite, just like you."

"You'll always be a third-class to me." Vegeta said. He smirked at the saddened look on Goku's face. "Oh, quit pouting like a childish cub. We're wasting time, let's go." he ordered.

Goku nodded, walking over to him, placing his hand on his shoulder. Vegeta raised two fingers to his forehead, and his face took on a serious look of concentration. After a few moments, they hadn't gone anywhere.

"Try just to focus on one ki." Goku offered his guidance. "Feeling out too many of them will mess with the technique…" he began to say.

"Shut up, Kakarot, I know that!" Vegeta barked, trying again to concentrate on just one ki from Earth. The only one he could think of was Bulma. He was determined to show Kakarot that he could do this. He inwardly berated himself as he thought of her, aware of the irony that he spent most of his time trying _not_ to think of her, and did so anyway. He let himself reach out across the vastness of space, thinking of her and her unique life energy. Once he had zeroed in on Bulma's ki, it seemed to stand out like a flicker of light thousands of light years away in the darkness. He smiled, proud of his accomplishment, as he teleported himself and Goku to Earth.

They appeared in an instant, in the middle of Bulma's backyard.

"I told you, Kakarot!" Vegeta boasted, standing regally, with his head held high, and the arrogance to back it up. He was quite pleased with himself.

"Well done, Vegeta!" Goku praised, patting him on the shoulder. "I knew you'd be able to focus on her ki and get us here!"

"How did you know I was choosing the woman's ki to focus on?" Vegeta demanded.

"Why do you ask questions that you already know the answers to?" Goku teased, as his laugh faded away, quickly hurrying into the Brief's household before Vegeta could respond….or punch him. Plus, he knew Bulma's mother would already be in the kitchen cooking up breakfast. He hoped she would have enough to feed two hungry Saiyans.

Vegeta's eyes narrowed dangerously, a scowl etched on his face. What the hell was he trying to say? If looks could kill, Goku would have been dead three times over. Vegeta turned his attention from Goku's hasty exit, to the blue-haired woman sleeping on her hammock. He looked at her peaceful demeanor while she slept. He smirked, thinking about flipping her hammock over and making her land ungracefully on the ground. He'd get an earful from her, but making her irritable when she first woke up always led to an interesting day.

"Yoo-hoo! Vegeta!" Bunny called out from the entryway of the patio doors, waving an arm to get his attention. "Come inside dear! Let her sleep!"

Vegeta sighed, and on a whim, decided to let the woman be. He turned and started to head inside his home...at least he could supervise and have Bunny made all of his favorite breakfast foods, and make sure Goku didn't eat all the food before he could get some.

* * *

Bulma had been asleep for a short while, until the Saiyan prince decided enough was enough.

"Wake up, woman." she distinctly heard Vegeta's voice next to her. Not consciously aware if this was a dream or not, and still half-asleep, she answered instinctually.

"Vegeta, it's too early…." she mumbled, "Can't even sleep in….honeymoon…." she complained softly, her voice muffled since her face was halfway buried into her pillow. She fell silent as her sentence trailed off, having fell back to sleep.

Vegeta's eyes widened, unsure if he had heard what he thought he heard. "What did you just say?"

"Shhh…" Bulma said irritably, lazily waving a hand in the air towards his direction, as if that would make Vegeta shut up.

He sighed grouchily. She had always been difficult to wake up. "It's time to wake up, woman. I didn't come here to watch you sleep away the day." he said loudly. His piercing voice forced her awake, as she opened her eyes and searched for the source of noise that jolted her awake. She looked into a pair of dark eyes. And a very familiar face.

"Vegeta!" she said, startled. "What the hell?" she complained, "What-what are you doing here?" She was hoping he wouldn't notice the alarmed nervousness in her voice. After her dream of him last night, she suddenly felt awkward in front of him. She knew it was just a dream, but his part in it was still fresh in her mind. A heightened feeling of embarrassment graced her features in a slight blush, remembering her previous thoughts about him before she had fallen asleep.

"I'm waking your lazy ass up, apparently." Vegeta clipped, crossing his arms across his chest, displeased.

Bulma rolled her eyes at him. "Well good morning to you too! What time is it anyway?" she grumbled, sitting up carefully in the hammock, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Time for you to get up." Vegeta answered, a scowl on his face, oblivious of the rough night she had. He took a moment to study her face after seeing her slight blush. He took on a moment of contemplation. "Why are you out here?"

"I had a nightmare." Bulma said, shaking her head a bit to clear it, still feeling groggy. She then realized her mistake, and hoped he wouldn't pry into what she dreamed about. She didn't think he would like hearing it. And she wouldn't like telling him.

"A nightmare? Did you stay up late and see a scary movie? Maybe I should buy you a nightlight." Vegeta's voice was laced with amusement.

"Ha ha, very funny!" Bulma stuck her tongue out at him childishly, earning a satisfied smirk on his lips. She was glad he did not delve deeper about her dream. Confusion then etched her face. "What are _you_ doing here, anyway? I thought you were back on Vegetasei?"

"I _was_. I came to see if the gravity room here was repaired so I can train. I got tired of waiting for you. Color me surprised that you were taking your sweet time sleeping half the day away." he ground out.

"Put a sock in it, Vegeta! I got the repairs done last night. And you're welcome!" Bulma spat, getting up from the hammock and gathering her pillow and blanket in her arms. Then a thought stuck her. "What about the gravity chamber back home?" she asked suspiciously. "Why aren't you using that one?"

"I _did_. I broke it this morning. It needs to be repaired." Vegeta stated simply, earning an irritated growl from Bulma.

"_Broke_, huh?" Bulma emphasized, not buying it. "My machines don't _break, _you destroy them! You blasted through something, didn't you!"

"It doesn't matter if I did or not!"

"What did you do to it, Vegeta?" Bulma demanded, watching him cross his arms across his chest, and glare at her.

"I blew a hole through the power core, and the control panel is damaged." he said defiantly.

"Ugh, you're unbelievable, you know that?" Bulma scolded. "Can't you stop breaking my machines for at least one day?" she huffed, her voice raising in pitch as she stormed irritably back into the house through the kitchen, oblivious of her mother and Goku being in there. Vegeta followed closely behind her.

"I'll stop breaking your precious machines when you learn to make them stand up to the power of a Saiyan elite!" Vegeta said arrogantly. "And considering your shoddy workmanship, that will be never."

Bulma whipped around, pointing a finger into his chest. "Keep talking your shit, Vegeta! I'd like to see who else in this universe can provide your with such technology AND fix it just as quickly!"

"Tch." Vegeta scoffed, quirking an eyebrow as she poked his chest. "I'm sure I could find someone else. Like your father."

"My father doesn't have time to fix your machines! He's got tons of work to get done, just like I do! Plus I fix them WAY faster than he can!"

"Faster, perhaps, but not better."

"Oh really? Is that a fact?" Bulma challenged. "Then why don't you just have my dad fix your machines from now on, since apparently you aren't satisfied with my work!"

"I think I'll do that." Vegeta challenged back.

"Good! Then maybe I can actually get some things done around here for once, without having to waste my precious time fixing everything you destroy."

"Oh, so now it's a waste of time?" Vegeta remarked, uncrossing his arms, glaring at Bulma as he pointed at her. "Maybe your _precious_ time wouldn't be wasted if you could learn to build me a gravity room that I can actually use. Having them break down almost everyday is a waste of _my_ time!"

"They wouldn't break down if you would learn to control your power and stop blowing holes through it! And another thing, it doesn't help when you keep overloading the system! You always keep pushing it to the max, what do you expect?" Bulma yelled out in frustration, placing her hands on her hips, glaring at Vegeta.

"I'm always in control of my power!" Vegeta yelled back, standing firm, matching her glare. "I shouldn't have to limit _my_ abilities just so that _your_ precious machine can remain intact! You need to build me a gravity room that can withstand even higher gravity and that won't buckle under my power!"

"Why are you telling _me_, then? Have my father build it for you!" Bulma spat back smugly in his face. "You've made it more than perfectly clear that my work is not up to your standards!"

"Hn. Just like you to chicken out of a challenge." Vegeta sneered, smirking as he watched Bulma's irritation skyrocket.

Oh, that man drove her insane!

"I'm not chickening out of anything!"

"So _this_ is the limit of your technological genius? You can't even build a gravity chamber that can last more than a week without breaking down? I have to say that I find myself disappointed in you."

Bulma began to get angry. "You jerk!" she shrilled, waving her arms up in frustration. The audacity he had to question her genius! "I'm the smartest woman on this planet! Hell, I'm probably one of the greatest geniuses in the universe! I can build a better _anything, _and you know it! But with your ungratefulness and rotten attitude, I don't _WANT_ to!"

Vegeta's demeanor darkened, and he took a step closer to her, trying to intimidate her. "Then how about I _make_ you."

It was a statement, not a question.

Bulma's eyes blazed with challenge. "You can't make me do anything, Vegeta."

"Oh, can't I?" he stated calmly, and Bulma took a step back, suddenly weary of what Vegeta had up his sleeve. Before she knew it, he grabbed her arm and pulled her outside with him, ignoring her protests. "We'll see about that." He turned around and faced her, mischief glinting in his eyes. "Still afraid of heights?"

Bulma's eyes widened, as she tried to pull her arm away from Vegeta's grasp. "You wouldn't _dare_!" she managed to squeal.

Vegeta laughed darkly. "I'll fly you up to 6,000 feet and drop you, and you know it."

He wasn't bluffing. He had done that to her a couple of times. He would follow through.

"You're a real jerk, you know that." Bulma pouted. It was too early in the morning, and she was too tired to deal with having a heart attack from being dropped from 6,000 ft, even though Vegeta always caught her well before she was in danger.

"It's one of the many things that I am." Vegeta smirked, letting go of her arm. "So, like I said, build me a better gravity room. Unless you really can't do it."

She knew he was baiting her with a trap. Her pride was as important to her as it was to him. For whatever reason, she inwardly took a step back, and looked at him. She saw the glint of challenge in his eyes, laced with amusement from having gotten her so riled up. She realized that despite his words, he still wanted her to do it. He still trusted her to fix and upgrade his machines…still trusted her to not have them malfunction, even under the absurd training he did. He trusted that she would limit any damage to his gravity room that might possibly kill him. There was so much trust and faith in her….all from a man who had a reputation of not trusting many people at all.

Her mother's words last night ran through her mind again, about how they always fought and yelled, but no hard feelings ever really remained. This squabble was nothing, really. Her mom was right. They did challenge each other. Seeing who would bend. Making each other better. The proof had just smacked her right in her face, in the form of a handsome Saiyan prince who came to Earth to seek her out this morning.

These critical realizations were quickly making their way into her heart.

"Ugh, I can't deal with you right now Vegeta!" Bulma uttered in exasperation, as she shook her head slightly, heading back inside the house. Her words held a double-meaning to them, and she knew it. This new point of view was really messing up her head.

She had too many things on her plate. She was exhausted. She wanted to rest.

She had a wedding to focus on. She had to get ready for the wedding planners, the decorators, and the florists.

She had cold-feet that she wanted to get rid of, and nightmares of Yamcha she wanted to rationalize.

She had dreams of Vegeta that she wanted to ignore.

She had feelings for Vegeta that she needed to realize.

Vegeta looked after her with a puzzled glance, following her back inside the house. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he respond to her strange outburst.

Bulma turned back around and looked at him, a troubled look on her face. "Nothing, just forget it. I'll consider building you a better gravity room when I have the time."

Vegeta didn't appreciate that response at all. "You have the time right now, so why don't you just fix it?"

"Because I have _other_ things I have to do!" Bulma said, irritated. She couldn't bend to his whims right now, she had a wedding to focus on today, and for some reason she felt guilty and bad about putting Vegeta aside. The feeling didn't sit well with her. Neither did the fact that she'd rather go to Vegetasei today and work on his machine than stay on Earth and spend most of the day going over last minute wedding plans.

Being put on the backburner didn't sit well with Vegeta either. He had an idea on what she was putting him off for, and his mood turned sour. He looked like he was about to respond with a scathing remark, but Bunny interrupted him.

"Oh Vegeta, darling, it's so good to have here this morning!" Bunny rang in chipperly, going over to him, placing a motherly kiss on his forehead. Vegeta scowled slightly, letting her do as she wished. Her and Goku had been listening to only their millionth argument since they both could talk. Bunny had been carefully watching their argument and felt that right then was the correct time to intervene. "Will you be staying for breakfast?"

Situation neutralized.

"Of course he will, he only knows two things, fighting and eating!" Bulma grumbled. "Oh, and breaking expensive equipment! He's good at that!" Vegeta glared at her in annoyance. Bulma then noticed Goku's laugh, and she turned to see him, her mood improving as her face lit up at seeing her best friend. Well _of course _he would be there, he had to teleport Vegeta back to Earth! "Oh, where are my manners? Good morning, Goku!" Bulma walked over to him and gave him a friendly hug.

"Morning, sunshine!" Goku greeted back at her happily, giving her a hug back. From the corner of his eye he noticed Vegeta's demeanor darken, and his smile became awkward, letting go of Bulma and turning his attention from her to the food that was currently being cooked on the stove, earning a chuckle from Bulma. Bunny noticed the slight change in Vegeta as well, as she placed a hand on his forearm.

"I'm here to train, not socialize." Vegeta said firmly, taking his attention off of them, and back to Bunny. She decided to interpret that as a yes.

"Oh good, so you're staying then! I'll make all your favorites, Vegeta. We all know the way to a man's heart is through his stomach!" Bunny giggled, giving his arm a motherly squeeze. She hurried off to the other side of the kitchen to keep an eye on the food she was already making, and to make sure that Goku didn't start eating it all. Bulma rolled her eyes at her mother's loud, off-hand comment.

Goku laughed, as he rubbed his stomach. "Yeah, that's how Chi-Chi won my heart. Her cooking is the best! Oh, yours is good too, Mrs. Briefs!"

"Now Goku, I've told you a million times, call me Bunny…" the conversation trailed off as Bulma walked away from them, and headed back towards Vegeta's direction, her scowl back on her face at seeing his displeased look with her.

"Well, what are you waiting for? You know where the gravity room is." Bulma snapped, seeing Vegeta continue to look at her. She was walking past him, towards the stairs, intending to head into to her room to change out of her pajamas and into some regular clothes.

Vegeta growled. "Going somewhere? Off to fix my machine back home while I train in the one here, I hope." Vegeta said in a veiled warning.

Bulma turned around, determination evident in her body language. "I'm _tired_, Vegeta. I didn't sleep for shit last night, and then your ass woke me up when I was finally getting some sleep. And for your _information_, I have a very busy day today, like I always do. I have a lot of wedding stuff to oversee and give my final approval on."

She saw the scowl on Vegeta's face, as he leaned casually against the bottom of the staircase railing. "I don't care how busy you are with your wedding crap, you better find time to fix my machine."

"It's not crap!" Bulma retorted. "And I'll fix your machine when I damn well please, and not a moment sooner!"

Vegeta's tail swished behind him, as it gently thumped on the railing he was leaning on. There was an air of danger around him. "Then you better hope I don't break the one here again. I'm telling you right now, if the gravity room fails in any way, you _will_ fix one of them. I don't care if I have to pull you away from your wedding shit, I take priority above all else."

"Ha!" Bulma snorted, "Sorry to burst your royal bubble, but you are like 4th on my priority list right now, whether you like it or not."

Vegeta gave her a challenging look. "I could always kill the weakling. That will eliminate the top three spots and make me number one." Vegeta threatened, mischief flashing in his eyes. Bulma was about to counter with a rebuttal, but thinking about her dream and how Vegeta had replaced Yamcha, she couldn't help but smirk.

"Don't hate because you're not my number one anymore." Bulma said softly, sending him a playful wink. She turned back around and started up the stairs again to her room.

"Tch. I've always been your number one." Vegeta remarked smugly, his tail curling and uncurling in interest as he followed her up the staircase, intrigued.

She swore she could hear the smirk in his voice. "Whatever. But seriously, the wedding people are going to be here soon. I don't have time to fix your machine right now. So…just use the one here. I fixed it last night, it should be just fine. And for Kami's sake, _don't_ take it to maximum gravity and _don't _blast a beam through anything!" Bulma warned.

"You don't tell me what to do, woman."

"Vegeta, I'm serious…" Bulma whined a bit, stopping and turning midway on the staircase, looking down at him. "…I have a lot of things to do today, and I'm exhausted to boot. So…" she paused, speaking to him genuinely, "…I would really appreciate it if you could _not_ destroy the gravity room here. I'll try to get the one back on Vegetasei fixed today if I can, but no promises."

"Stop your whining, woman." Vegeta said, taking another step up, placing his arm on the railing, as his tail swished back and forth in a content way. "I'll refrain from destroying it. Last thing I need is for you to screech at me like a banshee."

"I don't screech like a banshee!"

"Yes, you do." Vegeta smirked, his eyes sparkled with playfulness.

Bulma not was not oblivious to it. She smiled slightly and rolled her eyes, turning back around and finished heading up the stairs to her room as she called back out to him.

"Shut up and go train, Vegeta."

* * *

So how'd you like it? I didn't realize how long the chapter was, but I hope it was still an enjoyable read for you! I'm going to start working on chapter 4, and I hope to have it posted much sooner this time. I already have the general outline in my mind, I just gotta type it out! Thanks again for reading! Leave a review and let me know what you thought, especially of Vegeta…I'm worried about making him too out of character, even though this is an alternate universe story. Your input is appreciated!


	4. Under The Impression

*wincing* I know, I know! I meant to update this story much sooner, but thanks to some helpful, encouraging, and honest reviews, I made myself take my time with it. I didn't want this story to be too rushed, because I was feeling like it was. And honestly, I had some writer's block through the first part of this chapter, so I was at a standstill. I did end up going out of town for 4 days for a mini-vacation with my hubby, so I had some extra time to think about my story, and I came back revitalized with some new ideas. I apologize for the wait, and thank you so much for your patience! Thank you to everyone who left a review, and welcome to the new readers who are following this story! I hope everyone enjoys this next installment! This chapter came out much better than I had originally planned (thank goodness) and it's a long chapter! I hope that'll make up for the extra wait!

A/N: I don't have any affiliation, nor own any rights to Dragonball Z and its characters. I do, however, want a decal sticker of Vegeta, which I will proudly sport on the back window of my vehicle. All hail the Prince of all Saiyans!

* * *

**Chapter 4- Under The Impression**

After eating his breakfast quickly, Vegeta headed straight for his gravity chamber. He didn't want to spend any more time around Bunny and Goku than he already had to. Their incessant chatter got to his nerves, and he was already at his limit when it came to the nonsense they were talking about. He was in no mood to converse, his lack of sleep already put him in a fouler mood than usual, so he felt it was better for him to keep his mouth shut. Sure, he could chew Kakarot out, but he didn't want to risk blowing his temper at Bunny. A few minutes after their conversation turned to the excitement of Bulma's upcoming wedding, Vegeta abruptly stood up, gathering his remaining dishes and dumping them in the sink. He didn't even bother with having another glass of milk, as he walked outside across the perfectly landscaped lawn to his gravity room.

Once inside, he took a look around at the repairs the woman had made the night before. He was pleased, knowing she would stay true to her word and fix the machine like he had demanded. 'She really can't be _made_ to do anything, she's as stubborn as I am.' Vegeta mentally told himself, thinking about how he had threatened her this morning with his own personal skydiving offer. His eyebrows furrowed a bit. It wasn't like her to give in to him so easily. He guessed she really had been tired. He then thought about the gravity room back on Vegetasei that he had destroyed earlier this morning, and he grimaced a bit. The damage he had wrought upon it was much more extensive than the one here on Earth had suffered. 'The woman is going to have an aneurysm when she sees it…' he said to himself, as he walked up to the control panel and set the gravity to 125x that of Earth. It would be a light warm up.

Vegeta barely felt the light pull of the gravity on him, as he began to go through his kata, determined to clear his mind of everything except for his training. His senses had followed Bulma's ki throughout the home as she went to what he guessed was the grand ballroom. Her ki remained there for a long time, and he figured she was taking care of her wedding obligations. He inwardly scowled at the thought. It disturbed him….for what reason, he was unsure. 'She should be repairing my machine, not wasting her time with….' He mentally growled at himself, frustrated from the feeling he was having. He wasn't sure what had gotten into him lately. Just lack of sleep, he supposed. With his warm-up finished, he turned the gravity up to 350x, making sure he didn't max it out. He pressed a button and activated the bots. He programmed an agility-based program that would keep his body and reflexes busy. He was dead set on not thinking about the woman at all for the next few hours.

* * *

"Miss Brief?" a soft voice asked, breaking through Bulma's train of thought.

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry, I must have just spaced out." Bulma apologized, as she had completely blanked out on the wedding planner. What was he talking about again?

"No need to apologize, Miss Brief, I know this is an exciting time for you! It's only natural to be overwhelmed with such happiness!" he swooned as he continued to issue out orders to his workers, coordinating which decorations went where.

Bulma's face furrowed, knowing her distraction was not due to the excitement of her wedding. Far from it, actually. "Yeah, it's exciting." Bulma said half-heartedly, as she continued to stand, arms around her stomach, as she watched the team work on transforming the grand ballroom into an amazingly beautiful reception hall. She had already been in there with them for hours, as the planners and designers went to work setting up the tables and the decorations, and she continued to supervise and make changes as necessary.

They didn't know that her mind was not on her upcoming wedding, or on how beautiful the room looked. Her mind was not on the biggest wedding of the century happening in just mere days. She was trying hard to quell the feelings of uneasiness and panic that struck her again. At first, when the team had entered the ballroom, and placed books out for display, she had been okay. Bulma had walked over to the large table that held tons of books splayed around on it, full of pictures of the wedding designers' past work, along with books with absurd amounts of pictures of flower arrangements from the florists, and more books of elaborate cakes from the pastry makers. She had been fine, until they started _coming in _with decorations, _and_ the flowers_, and _the cake samples, _and_ small cherry-pickers to hoist themselves up to reach the ceiling, hanging lights and shimmering decorations from up there. Pictures from a book were one thing, but to see the wedding decorations in front of her brought a chilling wave of panic to her.

Everything was great in theory, until reality stood naked and unyielding in front of her.

She discreetly took deep breaths and let them out slowly, willing her body to stop freaking out. After awhile, she calmed down again, and she looked around at the enormous ballroom with a critical eye at all the flower arrangements the florists had brought her. She tasted the rows of cake samples the bakers had made. Everything was brought to her at her simplest command. They may as well have been kneeling at her feet as if she was royalty. They had pulled out all the stops. Her wedding was going to go down in history, and they bent over backwards to make sure Bulma was satisfied with everything they were presenting her. All of them worked diligently, eagerly waiting to hear for final approvals from the famous, rich, and beautiful heiress.

Bulma sighed. That had been hours ago. The panic had temporarily subsided, and she had sucked it up, forcing herself to put a smile on her face and look at the ordeal of the wedding details as a business transaction, not as a personal life-changing event that it was going to be . She tried her best to keep her uneasiness at bay as she convinced herself that her terrible case of cold feet would go away, and soon.

Now, hours later, she sat at the large table again, numbly looking through the books. Yes, everything was very beautiful. She hired the top wedding planners and designers her money could buy. Earlier in the year, when she had first gotten engaged, she was excited, and got the ball rolling, using her fame and power and money to recruit only the best for her lavish wedding. But as the time passed, and the thrill of getting married died down, those damn doubts and fears started to surface. Even now, she was still trying to stifle the feelings of panic and worries she had. She had been _so_ sure that after seeing everything come together, that she'd feel that same excitement again.

Instead, all she felt was dread, and a feeling that something was amiss.

Oh, don't get her wrong, the decorations were exquisite and beautiful. The samples of the flower arrangements the florists had brought were beyond gorgeous, as she tentatively sniffed the flowers earlier, enjoying their exotic smells. The cake samples were absolutely divine. _Everything_ she ever wanted for her wedding was going as she planned. Everything was _exactly_ as she wanted. And everyone there wanted nothing more to please the heiress, lest they lose their jobs and their careers if she was unsatisfied with even one aspect of the nuptials.

She continued thumbing through the books, looking as though she was enthralled with the excitement and beauty of her soon-to-be-wedding. Instead, all she could think about was that maybe she was making a mistake.

"If you'll excuse me, I am going to grab something to drink." Bulma said out loud to a few wedding planners who were hovering nearby her. They bowed graciously, hurrying away to continue their work, as Bulma left the ballroom and headed down the winding hallways back into her home.

* * *

The delicious smells had all about faded as she stepped back into the kitchen, watching her mother clean dishes while the bots dried them and put them away. Her stomach rumbled automatically. She then realized she hadn't eaten anything all day besides samples of wedding cake.

Who knew that stress and worries could take away an appetite?

"Oh Bulma, honey, how are things going?" Bunny asked lightly, not missing a step as she continued to wash the pots and pans.

"It's going." Bulma replied flatly, a hand on her stomach as she looked around, wondering what food she could snack on. Everything looked like it was eaten or almost packed away. "Mom, you _can_ go in there and see for yourself, you know."

"Oh I will sweetie, as soon as I'm done with the dishes. Plus I need to start thinking of what to make for dinner."

"Dinner?" Bulma said in a surprised tone, as she glanced at the clock on the wall. She had completely skipped lunch! Her stomach growled again in protest. The afternoon was going by fast. Where had the time gone? As she glanced around the kitchen, contemplating on grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl, or warming up some leftovers from the fridge, her gaze had gone outside the window. She saw the gravity room, its red lights shining through it, indicating it was still active.

"Vegeta's still training?" Bulma asked, perplexed.

Bunny dried her hands on a dish towel, and turned around to face her. "Of course he is dear, you know him. He's been in there all day, except to eat lunch."

Bulma's forehead furrowed in wonderment. "I don't understand…he's got to be busy with things to do on Vegetasei. Why is he still here?"

"Maybe he'd rather be _here_ with you, than over there _without_ you." Bunny said slyly, chuckling a bit as she gave her daughter a wink. She was rewarded with a stern look.

"Please mom, don't start with your ideas again." Bulma shook her head, as she continued to look at the gravity room. "I'm sure he's just waiting for me to be done with the wedding stuff so I can go over there and fix his machine."

"Are you going to?"

Bulma shrugged. "I don't know, we're still not finished up in the ballroom. I guess I could reschedule my wedding dress fitting for tomorrow. I might just go to Vegetasei today. Or I might not. Depends."

"Well either way, I hope you and Vegeta will have dinner with me and your father before either one of you leave."

"Yeah, sure, I don't see why we can't do that. Oh, by the way.." Bulma trailed off, as she grew serious, "…don't bother setting a fifth spot at the dinner table."

Bunny bit the inside of her lip, knowing who she was referring to. "Oh? Where _is_ Yamcha?" Bunny emphasized, going over to the kitchen island and leaning against it, giving her daughter one of those 'see what I mean' looks.

Bulma's demeanor darkened. She took her cell phone out from her jeans' pocket, and checked it.

No missed calls. No missed text messages.

"Good question." Bulma muttered. She had called Yamcha hours ago, when the wedding planners first began to arrive. He was _supposed_ to be there also, helping her to make the final decisions on things. She had wanted his involvement, but she couldn't get a hold of him the entire day. She looked at her mother, and they stared meaningfully at each other for a moment. No words needed to be said.

Yamcha wasn't there.

Vegeta was.

Yamcha had an important _reason_ to be there at Capsule Corp grounds, yet he had flaked out. Early on, Bulma allowed him the excuse that he was busy and wasn't 'good' with wedding plans when they first got engaged. She had done all the planning and decision-making herself throughout the past months. At first, the excitement of finally getting married had been fresh in he mind, and she had wanted to plan everything out herself, but as the months rolled by, her unhappiness at his lack of involvement was always present. After awhile, she gave up on wanting his input, content to plan their wedding by herself. So was it really too much to ask of him that he be there on this _one_ day and at least try to be somewhat involved?! She didn't think that was an unreasonable request.

And Vegeta…well he had no further reason to remain on Earth that day, and she didn't know why he was still there. Bulma tore her eyes away from her mother's piercing look, and turned her eyes back over to the gravity room. They both knew Vegeta was one busy Saiyan prince, who probably had absurd amounts of work and business he needed to handle back home. For whatever reason, he found time to come to Earth, and do some training. That aside, chances are he would also stay for dinner.

How could Bulma deny these facts to herself? They were irrefutable.

Bulma looked rather sternly at her phone, as if it was the bane of her very existence. She pressed the redial button again in irritation. It rang, and rang, and rang. Then it went to voicemail, which Bulma then promptly shut off her phone in an angered huff. She redialed the number _again_, swearing to Kami that she'd kill him if he didn't answer.

"Hi babe!" Yamcha's voice rang in.

"_Where are you_?!" Bulma snapped, clearly unhappy. So much for asking nicely.

Yamcha spoke with trepidation. "I'm at baseball practice! Why?"

Bulma's temper flared. "Did you forget what day today is?!"

Oh shit! He was in deep water. It wasn't their wedding day yet. It wasn't their anniversary. Crap, what day was it?

"Is it someone's birthday?" he blurted out tentatively, praying to Kami that it wasn't Bulma's birthday he had forgotten.

"No!" Bulma said sternly. "_Today_ is the day all the wedding planners and decorators are getting the ballroom ready for our reception! You're _supposed_ to have been here hours ago, Yamcha! Why aren't you here?!"

"Babe, I've been at practice all day! I can't be there right now! What's the big deal, you've got it handled anyway, don't you? You know I'm not good with wedding stuff. I'm sure everything you decide on will be fine with me." Yamcha said hurriedly, holding the phone away from his ear, knowing she was about to go nuclear on him.

Bulma fumed. She hadn't felt so enraged in a long time. "**I can't believe you think your baseball practice is more important than our wedding plans!**" she screeched into her cell phone. "It doesn't _**matter**_ if you aren't good with wedding stuff, you should be here with me! Do you _**know**_ how many people have asked me where you were?! Do you have _**any idea **_how that makes me feel?!"

Yamcha winced at Bulma's rage, knowing she wasn't quite happy with dealing with the wedding plans by herself. "I'm sorry babe! Listen, I'll be there as soon as I can, alright? I'll ask coach if he'll let me leave early…."

"**Don't bother! I don't want you here right now! I see where your priorities lie!**" Bulma yelled with finality.

"Babe, don't be like that!"

"I'll be however the **hell** I feel like being! This is **bullshit**, Yamcha!"

"I'm sorry babe, I know I fucked up. I can't get out of practice right now, but I'll call you later, I promise. Listen, I gotta go! I love you!" Yamcha said quickly, ending the call with a click, leaving Bulma utterly pissed.

"**Ugh, I can't believe him**!" Bulma yelled in frustration, as she threw her cell phone against the kitchen wall, breaking and shattering it into pieces. She glared at it hatefully, knowing she shouldn't have taken out her fury on the innocent device, but it did help her feel a tiny bit better. The sickening feeling hit her again…the feeling of something being wrong….feelings that she was making a mistake marrying him. She was overwhelmed with so much distress…now was _not_ the time to be feeling like this, not when the wedding she had committed to was only days away.

Bunny had winced, seeing her daughter swiftly take out her rage on the tiny cell phone. She looked at the pieces of the phone strewn on the floor, and sighed as she commanded one of the bots to clean up the shards. Meanwhile, Bulma stood, seething in indescribable emotions, obviously enraged as she stood off to the side, her arms crossed tightly against her chest, standing in quite an intimidating stance. A stance that rivaled even Vegeta's.

Yamcha didn't know how lucky he was to not be there at that moment.

A few seconds later the patio doors swung open in a whirlwind of energy, as in walked a serious-looking Vegeta. His eyebrows were furrowed, his dark eyes quickly glancing around at the surroundings, until they rested on the blue-haired woman. At the same time, his abrupt entrance drew Bulma's attention, as she saw Vegeta storm in, and walk towards her. She quickly scanned her eyes over him, to see if she saw any injuries. Seeing none, she jumped to the second conclusion.

"Don't tell me you've broken the gravity room again." she warned in an uncharacteristically calm, dangerous tone. She was on the brink of losing it, and Vegeta's presence could only mean that he was pulling her away from her wedding plans to tend whatever his demands were.

Vegeta tilted his head to the side a bit, studying her with a critical eye. "No. I came to see what the hell was the matter with you." he said sternly, striding up to her and glancing quickly over her as well. Not noticing any visible physical damage, his posture relaxed somewhat. He crossed his arms over his chest, obviously unpleased about being interrupted during his training.

"With _me_?" Bulma said incredulously. Nothing was wrong with her, damn it! She wondered what the hell he was talking about.

"Your ki was fluctuating." Vegeta stated, glancing away from her as he observed a bot cleaning up the pieces of something that had broken.

"Well I'm fine!" Bulma answered, oblivious to the fact that Vegeta had sensed her and came to see if everything was alright. "I'm just pissed!"

After analyzing her behavior, Vegeta decided not to question any further. He really didn't care why she was pissed. It was obvious that she was not angry with him, and because of that, he quickly dismissed the matter. He looked back over at her, a displeased look on his face. "Are you done with your wedding crap?"

"Yeah, just about done for today." Bulma murmured, trying to calm down. She felt bad for snapping at Vegeta for no reason. Her fury with Yamcha was something she didn't want take out on him. She was somewhat surprised that Vegeta didn't snap back at her, when she thought he would. Why didn't he? She gave him a suspicious look, wanting to change her strange train of thoughts. "And why are you still here anyway? Don't you have things on Vegetasei to do?"

Vegeta took the towel from over his shoulder and wiped the sweat from his face and neck. "Of course I do, just like you do." he muttered, subtly reminding her that she still needed to fix his machine back home.

"Vegeta…" Bulma started to complain, watching him nonchalantly dry his sweat from his skin. Apparently her mom was right, he had still been training. She watched as his muscles rippled and flexed at his motions and she fell silent, becoming momentarily distracted.

"What?" he asked as he looked at her, wondering what the hell had her so intrigued. He slung the towel back over his shoulder, walking over to the kitchen island to nab an egg roll, only to have Bunny gently slap his hand away with her spatula. She grabbed the plate of egg rolls and wrapped it with saran wrap for later. He huffed as he turned his attention back to Bulma.

"N-nothing." Bulma stuttered, feeling a slight heated blush crawl up to her cheeks. She didn't understand why she had stared at him for a few seconds. She quickly brushed off her momentary lapse. "You don't really expect me to go to Vegetasei and fix the machine tonight, do you?"

"Yes." he stated simply, scowling at his thwarted attempt of grabbing an egg roll. He made his way over to the fridge, opening it up and grabbing a pitcher of lemonade instead.

Bulma absent-mindedly opened the cabinet door above her, grabbing a large glass. As Vegeta neared her, she took the pitcher from his hand and poured the glass of lemonade for him. She handed his glass over for him to drink as she sighed. "I told you I would _try_ to do it today, but no promises."

Vegeta gulped down half his glass of lemonade. "Looks like I'm taking you skydiving, then." His tail swished contently.

"All I hear are empty threats." Bulma smirked. Watching him made her feel she could use a glass herself. She must have been staring at him, because Vegeta's eyes fell on hers as he finished his drink, and a stern look crossed his handsome features.

"_What?" _he pressed again, wondering what the hell the woman was looking at.

Bulma shook her head, her thoughts clouding her mind. "Nothing." she said as she turned to open the cabinet door again, only to have Vegeta reach up instead and open it, getting a glass for her.

"I don't threaten, woman. I follow through." he replied, as he grabbed the pitcher and filled both their glasses with lemonade. He handed Bulma her glass, looking at her for a moment, trying to decipher if she was challenging him, or being playful with him.

Bulma took the glass he offered her and took a few sips of the refreshing lemonade. They both were oblivious to the simple but significant actions between them at that moment. "Well I still have a few more wedding things to wrap up…" she trailed off, seeing Vegeta's demeanor darken a bit. "But I'll be done by the time dinner is ready. You're staying for dinner, right?"

"Might as well, I've already wasted the whole day here on this mudball." Vegeta grumbled. "After dinner we're heading to Vegetasei…" Bulma was about to challenge him, when he interrupted her. "…and you can get a start on it first thing in the morning. I don't need you fixing my machine while you're half-asleep. One crossed wire and you'll kill me." he mused, giving her a teasing smirk. A long time ago, she had done exactly that. She had been running on virtually no sleep for a few days and accidentally crossed a wrong wire on the gravity simulator's motherboard. The machine had overloaded and exploded. Luckily it wasn't an explosion that could kill someone as powerful as he was, but still, since that day, Vegeta would bring it up now and then, just to irk her.

Bulma stood defiant. "Jackass." she pouted, _hating_ having to be reminded of that one mistake that had hurt him so badly. Irritated, she harshly nudged Vegeta's chest with an open hand, knowing what he was referring to. She didn't think the guilt would ever go away. She had been a wreck as Vegeta recovered, and it took her a long time to find confidence in her abilities again. Even weeks later, when he had surprised her with a rare admittance (and inadvertent forgiveness) that he shouldn't have made her fix it while she was so exhausted, she still put all the blame on herself.

"Just add that to the list of the many things that I am." he stated, his eyes glinting with some sort of affection for her that both of them were unaware of. "Now get going, woman." he said, pushing her away from him, towards the direction of the hallway.

"Fine, fine, I'm going! No need to be pushy!" Bulma complained. "And you better save me some egg rolls!" she called out behind her, as she took the long trek back to the ballroom to finish up with the wedding reception arrangements.

"I promise nothing!" Vegeta called back out to her, as he watched her walk away from him. His tail curled and uncurled as he stood there momentarily, as if he was thinking about something. He then turned and walked the opposite way, back out the patio doors to his gravity machine again. He figured he could get another couple hours of training in before he had to go shower and get ready for dinner.

Bunny stood off to the side, having been momentarily forgotten as she watched her daughter and the Saiyan prince have their discussion. She smiled.

They were in love with each other. They just didn't know it.

* * *

"Hi daddy!" Bulma happily greeted her father, whose presence was as scarce around the home as her own.

"Evening, muffin." Dr. Briefs said, giving his daughter a fuzzy peck on the cheek, which made her giggle slightly. He went to sit down next to Vegeta, who was already sitting at the table, reclining back lazily as he waited to be fed. "Evening, my boy."

Vegeta nodded his hello, as his gaze followed Bulma, watching as she helped her mother serve them.

"Oh it's so nice to have all of us to be together as a family again!" Bunny chirped, serving her husband his food.

"Yes, it is quite a rare treat." Dr. Briefs agreed, watching as Bulma served Vegeta first before herself. "The word buzzing around the lab was that the ballroom was decorated today." He mentioned nonchalantly as he studied Vegeta and his daughter. The prince sensed he was being watched, and found himself looking into Dr. Briefs' analytical gaze. He gave him a warning glare, and decided to pay no mind to this conversational topic as he dug his chopsticks into his noodles and began to eat. Dr. Brief ignored Vegeta's warning as he continued talking to Bulma. "You and Yamcha have almost everything ready and set up?"

Bulma scowled at her father's words as she sat down across the table from Vegeta. "Yamcha didn't show up to help out today. Apparently his baseball training was more important than our wedding plans." Bulma gritted, moodily placing her plate and glass down on the table, watching as some of her drink sloshed out of her glass and onto the tablecloth. She sighed and cleaned it up with a napkin.

"I'm sorry sweetheart." Dr. Briefs consoled, as he opened up his newspaper and skimmed through it. "But I'm sure you have everything under control." Dr. Brief smiled slyly at his grumpy daughter as she glared down at her plate of food. "You don't need Yamcha to help out with such trivial things. As long as he shows up at the altar this Saturday, that's all that matters." he reminded, as Bulma's mood darkened at her father's words. She remembered her conversation with her fiancée earlier, and anger washed over her in an unexpected wave.

"Hmph! Right now he should be worrying about whether or not _I'll_ be showing up at the altar!" Bulma threatened out loud as she picked up her chopsticks and mindlessly pushed her food around on her plate, having no appetite at the mention of Yamcha. She had gone back into the ballroom after her small break earlier and spent over another two hours in there, supervising and approving final touches on the ballroom-turned-reception-hall. All she could think about was two things during that time. One, that Yamcha better not show his face on the grounds tonight, asking for forgiveness. And two, that she couldn't wait to get off the planet and head to Vegetasei….working on Vegeta's machine would do wonders to tame her anger and give her time to think things through again.

"Oh now sweetie, you just need to cool down." Bunny said warmly, sitting next to her daughter and giving her arm a gentle squeeze. "I'm sure you'll clear your head and your heart while on Vegetasei." she said, a little too unsubtly, which made Bulma perk an eyebrow up and glance over at her mother, with a look that warned that she better not be up to anything. She ignored Bulma's warning. "If you decide not to meet Yamcha on the altar this Saturday, I'm sure there are plenty of strong, handsome Saiyan men who would be happy to take his place. Right Vegeta?" Bunny giggled. She couldn't help it, she just had to throw that in there!

The tip of Vegeta's tail flicked, as he listened to the conversation, even though he was trying hard not to. It was the woman's adverse reaction to her future husband that he found interesting. He then nearly choked on his rice after hearing Bunny's last words. He looked up from his plate, seeing Bunny smiling slyly, Dr. Brief lower his newspaper to glance at him, and Bulma's reddened face.

Bulma wasn't sure if she was red from embarrassment, anger, or both.

Vegeta swallowed the rest of his food, and resumed his glare down at his plate. "Tch. Like any Saiyan male in his right mind would choose her as a mate."

Dr. Brief quickly raised his newspaper, hiding behind it. Bunny winced, knowing what was to come. Bulma's irritation turned to outright defiance.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Bulma demanded, slapping her hand down on the table, causing a slight rattle to the dinnerware as she glared at Vegeta. "I am one hell of a catch, Vegeta! I'm smart, beautiful, wealthy, and one hell of a woman!"

He continued to eat his food, unfazed by her angered outburst. His tail swished back and forth. "You're also a spoiled, self-absorbed brat, who is highly annoying, and pathetically weak. Not to mention you scream like a harpy."

Bulma couldn't tell if Vegeta was egging her on for a verbal spar, or if he was being mean to her….or just honest. He refused to look at her, and from her point of view, couldn't read his tail to see what he was up to.

"That's rich! And this coming from an arrogant, vain, over-confident, stubborn, temperamental, ungrateful Saiyan!" Bulma responded back.

"Just add it to the list." Vegeta smirked slightly.

"I'll add an ugly mug to it, also."

Vegeta glanced up at her. "I'm not ugly!"

Bulma smirked, her eyes glinting with amusement. "By my human standards, you are."

"Hn. By my Saiyan standards, you're hideous."

Bulma scoffed. "I am NOT hideous! I'm the most beautiful woman on this planet. Hell I'm probably the most beautiful female in the universe, and you know it! Any Saiyan male would love to take me as their mate!"

"Tch." Vegeta scoffed also, his eyes blazed with challenge. "Hardly. You have no tail, virtually no muscle mass, and ridiculous blue hair and blue eyes. You stand out like a sore thumb."

A heart-wrenching memory came crashing back at her, from many years ago. She was very young. The children at school were picking on her because of her aqua-colored hair, matching blue eyes, and pale skin. She was the only one who had natural blue hair, and was considered a freak, even at that young age. They had been vicious, taunting her and teasing her, even going so far as to put gum and glue in her hair. One time the nurse was forced to cut off a great amount of her blue hair, causing a young and emotional Bulma to come home crying her eyes out. The children told her she was ugly, and that no one would ever find her beautiful. Now of course, being older and rich and famous, her blue hair had become treasured, and she was always praised on her exotic looks, and women all around tried to replicate her beauty. Still, the memory of the bullying was unpleasant, and brought back her feelings of hurt and insecurity. Insecurity that she was loathe to let Vegeta know about, since he hadn't been on Earth during that time.

"Screw you, Vegeta, I know I'm gorgeous! I am beautiful and I don't care what _you_ or _anyone else _thinks!" Bulma yelled angrily, storming up from the table, her dinner hardly touched. She glared at him. "I'm a catch! Any man would love to be with me!"

"A lot of good it does you! Scar-face couldn't remain loyal to you, even with all of your supposed beauty and brains! He can't even bother to show up to his wedding arrangements with you. Some proof _that_ is!" Vegeta taunted. "Not even your own damn fiancée can show up and be there for you when you need him. Sure, he wants to be with you." he sarcastically threw his last line in her face, and felt something close to regret for the harsh words that just poured from his mouth.

It was a low blow. She was left speechless and completely stricken. He spoke the truth, but damn if Vegeta's words didn't hurt. Having him confirm what she was already thinking and feeling lately about Yamcha didn't help anything at all. It was true, Yamcha had cheated on her before. He constantly flaked out on her, unless it was for something that would benefit him. She had always put more effort into their relationship than he had. Yes, it hurt…but feeling rejection from Vegeta…well, for whatever reason, that hurt the most. But why did it hurt? Her swirling emotions were at conflict with each other. Anger and hurt whipped in her eyes as she looked at Vegeta.

Somehow she found her voice, which was laced with venom. "Fuck off, Vegeta. Don't expect me to go to Vegetasei with you. Find someone else to fix your fucking machine!" she hissed, storming out of the kitchen, hanging a left and heading towards some secluded part of the compound to be utterly alone.

Vegeta watched as she stormed away from him with such absolute finality. He snarled viciously, throwing his chopsticks at his plate in a tantrum as he sunk down in his chair. He crossed his arms over his chest tightly, his tail snapping back and forth in extreme agitation, brooding over what just transpired.

"Smooth move, son." Dr. Brief murmured, still hiding behind his newspaper, but could swear he felt the heated death-gaze from the Saiyan prince.

"Oh dear…" Bunny trailed off, bringing a hand to her mouth in surprise. It was just turning out not to be a good day for Bulma. She looked over at Vegeta, who was still seething in anger as he glared at the kitchen floor. "She's just cranky, dear. It's been a rough couple of weeks, with the wedding and all…" Bunny trailed off, as Vegeta looked up at her with a stern look. "…and she's really tired…"

"Yeah, well, I'm getting _tired_ too….." Vegeta spat, standing up from the dinner table, inferring that he was at his wit's end about something. He wasn't sure if he was going to storm after her, or leave her alone. Just then, the phone in the kitchen rang, and he looked at the caller ID, seeing that it was the weakling calling. Something within him snapped. He picked up the receiver.

"_WHAT?!" _he growled into the phone, startling the hell out of Yamcha.

"V-Vegeta?" Yamcha stammered, caught off guard. "What are you doing there?" he blurted, not expecting him to be on Earth. Besides, Vegeta never answered the phone, and apparently he was angry.

"What do you want?" he demanded sternly, ignoring his question.

"I, uh, need to talk to Bulma."

Vegeta was reigning in his power, trying not to crush the phone in his hand. "She doesn't want to speak to you, scar-face." he snarled out.

"How about I hear that from her, herself!" Yamcha bravely countered, feeling confident over the phone. "Put her on the line."

"_How dare you attempt to order me around." _Vegeta growled. _"_I have no qualms with killing you for your insolence_."_

Yamcha gulped nervously. Sometimes he forgot that Vegeta was a prince. A powerful, alien prince. A powerful, alien prince who never got along with him, even after all these years. "Bulma wouldn't let you." he responded confidently. Then again, he had pissed her off pretty bad earlier by not showing up for the wedding planners. 'Maybe she _would_ let Vegeta kill me.' he silently thought to himself.

"The woman does not hold power over me." Vegeta said angrily. "Now fuck off."

"Just wait a damn minute!" Yamcha growled, getting pissed that Vegeta wasn't going to let him talk to her. "If you won't put her on the line, then I'll just go over there and talk to her in person!"

Vegeta responded to his insolence by tearing out the phone from the wall and hurling it across the kitchen, effectively destroying the device as well as causing another considerable hole in the solid opposing wall. He had wished it was scar-face's head he had ripped from his neck instead. He snarled ferociously as he wrapped his fuzzed-up tail around his waist and walked out the patio doors, heading to the gravity room. If he didn't expel his pent up anger and energy, he felt he was going to explode. Or kill the weakling.

And he wasn't sure if that would make the woman angrier with him or not.

* * *

Bunny had winced as Vegeta took out his rage on the phone, destroying it as Bulma had done earlier with her own cell phone. Sometimes the similarities between them were unbelievable. She ordered another bot to clean up the mess, while Dr. Briefs pulled out his cell phone, dialing a contractor to come early tomorrow morning and fix their wall.

"Oh my…" Bunny murmured, as she took Bulma and Vegeta's plates, dumped the food out, and put the dishes in the sink. She looked out the window at the begging of the sunset, as dusk would soon be hovering over them. She saw the red lights on in the gravity room. "I wonder what all that was about."

"The usual." Dr. Brief murmured as he lit a cigar and continued to read his newspaper, unfazed by everything. "It's a regular soap opera around here."

"Well Vegeta certainly put his foot his mouth this time." Bunny agreed. "But I'm sure he and Bulma will make amends and be back to arguing in no time. As for her and Yamcha…" she trailed off, taking her gaze away from the gravity room and went back to the kitchen table to sit down, and continue their interrupted meal.

"Is it true? Yamcha didn't show up today for the wedding decorations at all?"

Bunny confirmed by shaking her head. "He didn't. Bulma was infuriated."

"Hmph." Dr. Brief grunted, displeased at hearing this. "I _told_ Vegeta that he would make a better husband for Bulma than Yamcha would."

"Did you? And what did he say?!" Bunny asked eagerly, not at all surprised that her husband tried to talk some sense into Vegeta as well.

"He called me crazy. Seems he didn't exactly agree with my opinion."

"That means he didn't disagree either, then." Bunny trailed off thoughtfully. "Of course he wouldn't admit anything, he's as stubborn as Bulma…" she shook her head. "I had a talk with her late last night. She was in complete denial also. Too bad they can't see how crazy they are for each other."

Dr. Brief sighed. "Oh, they see it, alright. They just refuse to believe it."

* * *

Oooh…some drama going on! Believe it or not, the hardest part of this chapter was getting a good title for it! In fact, it made me delay updating this story by a whole day while I mulled over a name for it. I hated the original chapter name I came up with. So the title I finally chose and fell in love with for this chapter may seem a little odd, but the term 'under the impression' means "thinking, assuming, or believing something, often incorrectly" and I felt that it described many of the events and situations in it to perfection!

Thanks for reading, everyone! I hope you liked this chapter! Please leave a review and tell me what you thought! Any input is greatly welcomed! Like I said, I'm a new writer, and sometime the ideas in my head are hard to type into words on a laptop!

Chapter 5 is under construction…


	5. The Calm Before The Storm

Hello, my awesome readers! How are you all doing? I'm sure you're doing better now that I'm updating! I want to thank all of you for your continued support, and it was great getting to chat with some of you! As always, I appreciate your time and your reviews! You all help shape me into a better author with your constructive comments, and I'll always be thankful for that.

I decided to split this next installment into two chapters because it was getting too long, so I hope you enjoy chapter 5! Grab your popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the ride!

A/N: I wish I owned DBZ. That way I could make Chris Sabat speak to me in Vegeta's voice all day, everyday. Hmm…that's a good idea. I'm off to hunt for the dragonballs. Don't wait up for me.

* * *

**Chapter 5- The Calm Before The Storm**

Bulma moodily stomped her way down to the large, luxurious study. She strongly pushed the huge solid oak doors open as she entered the room, and plopped herself down on the leather couch in an angry huff.

'_How dare he!' _she grumbled to herself_. _She was certain that her blood pressure must have measured off the charts throughout most of the day. There was already too much stress she had to deal with, most of it was legitimate, while the rest was self-imposed. Vegeta being a big jerk didn't help things either.

She wasn't sure if she was angry with him because he spoke the truth, or because he didn't have the sense to keep his mouth shut when he should. Couldn't he see how much anxiety she was already under? Her rocky relationship with Yamcha was nothing that Vegeta and her parents didn't already know about...but to have him throw it in her face, as if she had never considered it before! Her mind and heart were already overloaded with so many doubts, fears, and growing regrets. Lately there was hardly a moment that went by that her thoughts _weren't_ on Yamcha and their upcoming wedding. She was already starting to consider that marriage to him would be a mistake. Having Vegeta so insensitively remind her of Yamcha's faulty traits that she was desperately trying to forget about….well it just confirmed that _no matter how much _she was trying to rationalize her fears and doubts about Yamcha, the more serious the situation really was becoming.

Not to mention she was also feeling highly insulted and utterly pissed that Vegeta had practically told her that she was ugly and not attractive to a Saiyan! _'Hmph! What does he know? All Saiyans look the same…dark wild hair, dark eyes, tan skin, brown tails, and too many muscles. No wonder they see a little coloring like I have, and think it to be ugly!' _she mentally gritted. She then thought about Chi-Chi. She had dark hair and dark eyes, and she was a good fighter. Even Goku had chosen a woman who was physically more Saiyan-like than she was! Bulma crossed her arms over her chest defiantly and brooded in self-doubt, sinking herself into the plush couch.

She was beautiful, everyone said so! So what if she had sky blue hair? It was exotic! Her matching azure eyes were like jewels of the sea! She may not have been born a Saiyan, but almost all remaining aspects about her were Saiyan! Vegeta could go to hell if he couldn't see that in her! And Yamcha, he could go to hell also, for taking her for granted and not appreciating her! As far as she knew, she didn't want to see either one of them for a while. She remained secluded in the study, grabbing a book to read in an attempt to take her mind off of things. If Vegeta knew any better, he would leave her alone until she cooled off. And if Yamcha had any common sense, he wouldn't call or stop by this evening at the compound.

* * *

Almost an entire hour had come and gone since Bulma told Vegeta off and stormed away to some random place in her home. Annoyed with the divide between himself and the woman, coupled with his tantrum over the phone call with scar-face, Vegeta had locked himself up in the gravity room. He didn't hesitate in setting it to the maximum gravitational setting, and activating the bots into a survival-mode program. The energy burning within him seemed ever-flowing, as he focused on the 400x gravity. He was so fired up, that the 50G increase seemed to have little effect on him as he worked on blasting away the bots.

So what if the woman warned him not to max out the gravity?! She didn't tell him what to do! He was pissed, knowing that she would not go to Vegeatsei with him anytime soon, not after having enraged her so. He felt a slight sting of regret in his chest that he forced himself to ignore, knowing that he had hurt her somehow. He wasn't sure if it was because what he said about her precious scar-face, or when he was jabbing at her about her looks. She was a vain woman, and knew it was a topic she was overly sensitive about. He growled, realizing his thoughts about her were distracting him from his training _again_.

A few more minutes passed, until Vegeta felt the faint flicker of a very familiar ki nearby. The ki of the weakling. What the hell was he doing here?! A violent growl emitted from his chest, as he felt the ki approaching his home. Vegeta's harsh training had done nothing to soothe his irritation at Bulma, or his anger at Yamcha. He paused his training for a moment, recalling the woman's complaints of her fiancée, and of the phone exchange he had with him. His anger flooded his veins, remembering how he had wanted it to be Yamcha's head he snapped off, rather than the phone from the wall. He fisted his hands at his sides, and closed his eyes, reigning in the willpower to _not_ confront the weakling and make a scene. Bulma was already pissed off enough at him as it was, and picking a fight with her intended mate was something that would only exacerbate tensions between them.

* * *

Dusk was in full-force as Yamcha pulled up to the entrance of Capsule Corporation and lowered down his window. The security guard looked at the sticker on the bottom left corner of the windshield, and looked at the driver. Seeing it was the heiress' fiancée, he quickly waved him through the security gates. Yamcha drove throughout the grounds, until he reached a second checkpoint. A few security guards greeted him this time, making sure whoever was in the vehicle had permission to enter private grounds. Seeing it was Bulma's fiancée, they waved him through. He took a couple of turns and drove up to the entrance of the dome-shaped home, and turned off his sports car. He took a deep breath and let it out, brushing a hand through his hair as he glanced at himself in the rear-view mirror. He hoped Bulma had calmed down since their conversation a few hours ago.

He exited his car and strolled up to the front door, straightening out his shirt and dusting imaginary dirt from himself, trying to smooth his shirt and his nerves. He rang the door bell twice, and stood there waiting in slight apprehension. The cheery doorbell rang throughout the home, as Bunny hurried to open the door. Very few people had access to their private home on the compound, so whoever it was, she knew it was a close family friend. She opened the door, and could not hide her perplexed look as she saw that it was Yamcha at their doorstep.

"Oh, Yamcha!" Bunny said, surprised, as she turned on the porch light to see him a little better. It wasn't quite night yet, but it was getting dark outside, since the streetlights were coming on. A slight shiver went through her…tensions were thick in the air as she held the door halfway open, not quite sure if it was a wise decision on her part to let him enter their home. There was an irritable and temperamental Saiyan on the grounds, and an even more irate and high-strung daughter. Bunny looked at Yamcha with a concerned look, vaguely wondering if he had any realization of the potential trouble he could be in.

"Good evening, Mrs. Brief. I'm sorry for arriving unannounced. Can I come in?" Yamcha asked, trying to look past her into the living room. He was trying to see if Bulma was anywhere nearby, although he was more concerned about Vegeta still being around.

Bunny hesitated in letting him in. She gave Yamcha a scolding look, placing one hand on her hip. "Yamcha, I'm sure Bulma doesn't want to see you right now. She's been fuming all day about you not being here earlier. Frankly, I'm disappointed in you also."

He knew Bulma must have been an enraged inferno, since Bunny would tend to downplay her daughter's temper. He felt ashamed, being scolded by his future mother-in-law. Yamcha looked down at the ground sheepishly. "I know, I know. But I really do need to speak with her. I called earlier and tried to talk to her, but _Vegeta_ wouldn't let me." he complained, emphasizing his name. "He hung up on me before I could get a chance." he grit out the last few words, fisting his hands in irritation, remembering how the line went dead when he had demanded that Vegeta pass the line over to Bulma.

Bunny was about to tell him that Vegeta wasn't the type to simply hang up on someone. He was the type to rip out a phone from a wall and smash it against another wall. And that was him being in control. But surely after all these years, he must know that, so she decided to ignore Yamcha's gripe about Vegeta. She sighed. "Just wait right here dear, I'll go and get her. She still might not want to see you right now, I'm giving you a fair warning." Bunny cautioned, leaving the door partly open as she headed straight for Bulma's lab, thinking she would be in there.

Bunny punched in the security code to Bulma's lab, and entered. She expected to see her daughter either at her desk, drawing up schematics, or busy welding and fixing something, or even working on some sort of half-completed project she had lying around. Instead, the lab greeted her with silence and emptiness. Bunny's face furrowed in concern. Bulma always went to her lab when she was in a foul mood, and usually worked on her beloved machines to calm down. That only meant that she was in the study, and that was a bad sign.

Bunny knocked on the solid oak door and waited a moment. After not hearing a peep, she entered the grand study, and saw Bulma sitting at the large desk, intently reading from a book.

"Honey?" she asked tentatively, standing in the doorway. She saw her daughter's shoulders immediately tense up. It meant that Bulma was not distracted and enthralled with her book. It meant that Bulma had been thinking, and therefore, she was not in any better of a mood than when she had first entered there.

"_What?!" _Bulma snapped.

Bunny sighed. She swore if her daughter had a tail, right now it would be lashing back and forth. "Yamcha's here to see you."

Bulma instantly slammed her book shut, and whirled her office chair around, glaring at her mother. Her demeanor instantly darkened at hearing his name. "I don't _want to see him_."

"I know you're still angry and in a bad mood, but I think you should at least hear him out and let him try to explain himself."

Bulma glared darkly at her mother. Those weren't the words she expected to hear from her. "_Why_ should I?" she challenged. "I already know the bullshit excuses he's going to give me. And I am not up to hearing them!"

Bunny took one careful step further into the study, smoothing out the front of her dress and clasping her fingers together, as she looked into her daughter's beautiful but angry eyes.

"Because you're getting married in a handful of days. You both need to resolve your problems _now, _not later." Bunny advised. Her words held a double-meaning to them, which they were both aware of. "Time is no longer a luxury, Bulma. You told me last night that you love him and that you're marrying him. That means _listening_ to him, whether you like it or not, no matter how angry you are. And that means forgiving him when he asks for it." Bunny turned away from her daughter and walked out of the study. She made one last attempt to get through to her daughter as she called back to her. "After all, he will be your mate." She made sure to use the term 'mate' when she referred to Yamcha, hoping the gravity of that word, which was predominantly a Saiyan ideal, would make Bulma realize the path in life that she was choosing.

Bulma knew that what her mother was saying was true, but she didn't have to like hearing it. At all. Her demeanor darkened even more, hearing her mother's last words. Right now she didn't want to see Yamcha, let alone be reminded of a possible mistake she was making in marrying him. She growled in frustration as she stood up from her chair and exited the study, making her way through her home to face her issues head-on.

Damn it, today was one hell of a day. She was glad it would be over soon. Maybe she could actually get a good sleep tonight.

* * *

After what felt like never-ending minutes, the front door suddenly swung open, startling Yamcha. His breath hitched in his throat as a pissed-off Bulma glared at him. He swallowed with difficulty. "Hi babe." he managed out weakly, clearing his throat as he tried to calm his faltering voice. "I was worried you didn't want to see me."

"I _**don't**_ want to see you right now." Bulma emphasized. "I'm still fucking pissed at you, Yamcha!"

He winced, expecting that reaction. "I'm sorry! What else am I supposed to say?"

Bulma's eyes widened at his audacity. "What do you _mean_ 'what else are you supposed to say'?! How about realizing that even though planning a wedding is something that supposedly you're not '_good_' at, or something that you might not '_want_' to do…that you should still suck it up and be there for me and have some involvement!"

"Aww...but c'mon babe!" he pleaded.

"Don't you _'c'mon babe __**me**_!' " Bulma warned, placing her hands firmly on her hips.

Yamcha threw up his arms in exasperation. "I've told you _from the beginning _that wedding planning isn't my thing, and you've been just _fine_ with it this whole time. What suddenly changed?!"

"Maybe I got tired of being the only one getting ready for our wedding!" Bulma spat out, pointing a finger at him. "I have been doing _everything! _I've found the damn time between helping dad run Capsule Corp, inventing, working on Vegetasei, and so many more other things in between! And what about _you_?! What have _you_ been doing?!"

"I-I've been busy too!" he stuttered in defense. "If you've forgotten, I have a baseball career with the Taitans! When it's not baseball season, we're at practice! And when I'm not at baseball practice, I'm training out in the wilderness!"

Bulma couldn't help but scoff. He called _THAT_ being busy?! That was a damn luxury vacation compared to what her life was like everyday. She glared at him, knowing how he left out the details about how he had the time to go out clubbing, almost always _without_ her. Amazingly he also left out the part about going to fancy fundraisers and red-carpet events when he could, _without_ her again. "So, is that it?! What the hell is wrong with you?! Is your baseball career and your training _that_ much more important than our wedding plans together?!" Bulma yelled, deciding not to bring up the latter thoughts she was having.

"Now that's not fair!" Yamcha ground out. "You _know_ that's not true! I just forgot about today! I swear, babe!" Yamcha saw the dangerous glint in her eyes, and he decided to switch tactics and tried to plead with her. He couldn't best her in an argument, but surely the puppy-dog eyes would work.

She was not having any of it.

"Hn." Bulma scoffed, pointing an accusing finger at him again. "Nice to know that you can _forget_ something so important as our wedding…" she mocked, "even when I left quite a few text messages, _and_ you probably had at least 5 missed-calls from me! You're telling me you didn't pick up your phone at least _once_ all _day_ to check it?!"

Well, shit! How was he going to get out of that one?! "I put it on silent this morning while coach was talking to us in the dugout, and then we started practice right away, so I just shoved it in my duffel bag! It was early and I thought maybe you were still sleeping! Then I forgot about it! I swear, I wasn't trying to avoid you or the wedding planners today!"

"Hah, what a convenient excuse." Bulma smirked with mirth. Yamcha always had his cell phone glued to him. He usually had it in his baseball pants' pocket when he practiced, and during breaks, he would at least send her a text message once in a while. She felt she caught him in a lie, and it infuriated her.

"It's not an excuse, it's the truth!" Yamcha defended himself, quickly seeing how his tactic wasn't working. This was turning from bad to worse. "Babe, I told you, I just forgot about today. I'm sorry, and that's the bottom line. Now can we just move on?!" Yamcha started to get irritated as Bulma started to get catty about things. He admitted that he fucked up and apologized, wasn't that good enough for her?

"Well then, seeing as how I couldn't count on you today, I suppose I shouldn't count you to be there for our wedding rehearsal at the church, or rehearsal dinner….or hell, even at the altar!" Bulma snapped in rage. All she could think about was how embarrassed and angry she was, coming up with excuses to the wedding people on why her fiancée wasn't there. Throughout the day, as people were coming in and out of the ball room, they had all asked her where Yamcha was. She had felt shame over the situation she was in. She couldn't contact him half the day, and that was amazingly frustrating. She thought about how easily he blew off her feelings when she had finally contacted him. More importantly, Bulma couldn't stop thinking about what Vegeta said. He brought up Yamcha's very real, serious faults, which were exactly reflecting what she was feeling about him lately, especially at this moment.

"_Shouldn't count on me?! " _Yamcha yelled out incredulously. He couldn't believe what she just said! "Just hold on a damn moment, now you're taking this too far!" Yamcha growled dangerously.

"No, Yamcha, I'm taking this _exactly_ where it needs to be." Bulma seethed. "We're _supposed_ to be getting married this Saturday, and you know this whole week is full of 'wedding stuff'. There are NO excuses that you can give me for not being here! Your baseball team _knows_ you're getting married. Hell, the entire _world_ knows it! Even if you really "forgot" about today, you're telling me they wouldn't understand if you took off right in the middle of practice to be with me while we finish up with our wedding arrangements?! That's fucking bullshit, and you know it! There's NO reason for you to not have been here, unless you were in the hospital or dead, and you know I'm right!" Bulma yelled furiously as she stood strong and unyielding in front of him, crossing her arms over her chest and scowling at him with an intimidating look that rivaled Vegeta's .

Yamcha was temporarily taken aback by how much Bulma looked like the Saiyan. For some reason, that really infuriated him. "No! You're being unreasonable right now, and making a big deal out of something that is really nothing!" Yamcha yelled back. "What the hell kind of shit is this? You 'shouldn't count on me'?" he repeated her last words in a scathing tone, pointing a finger back at her. "We've been together for a _long_ time, Bulma, and I've always been there for you, taking care of you and protecting you as much as I could, whenever you were _here_…" Yamcha spat, showing bitterness at her frequent absences on Earth. "Even through everything we've been through, I still love you and believe it or not, still want to marry you! And trust me, being with a woman like _you_ hasn't been a walk in the park, because honestly, Bulma, you can be a real bitch sometimes! I don't think anyone else in the world, besides me, could be with someone like you!"

If Bulma had been angry earlier, then she completely skipped being enraged and went straight to being overcome with hellish wrath. His last words hit her hard, as she was reminded of the conversation she had with her mother the night before. Her mother had been so sure that she could find another man to love her for all that she was. Bulma had been certain that she _couldn't _find anyone else to love her for who she was, and not for any other reason. Then she remembered how Vegeta had said that no Saiyan would want her as a mate either.

Hell, even her own fiancée stood in front of her, telling her about how difficult it was even for him to still love her and want to be with her. Was she really that terrible of a person? Was she just trying to find faults with him, when it was really faults within herself that were causing all these problems? Either way, she was infuriated, and deeply hurt. She forced herself to shove the hurt deep down to deal with later. Right now, she wanted to bathe in the fire of her volcanic temper. Let him see just how much of a bitch she could be!

"Get off my property, _now, _before I call security to escort you off the grounds _permanently_." Bulma snarled, her blue eyes ablaze with fury.

"What?!" Yamcha yelled in anger. "You can't DO THAT to me, Bulma!"

Did he not realize who the hell he was dealing with?

"I said get off my property, _NOW!_" Bulma yelled at him.

"NO!" Yamcha defiantly disobeyed her. "We're going to talk, _**right now**_, whether you like it or not!" He reached out and grabbed Bulma by the arm, intent on pulling her out of her home and flying the both of them somewhere secluded, where they could fight and hash out their argument.

"Let go of me, Yamcha!" Bulma yelled again, trying to pry her arm away from his strong grip.

"We're going!" Yamcha gritted, tightening up his grip on her arm more, inadvertently causing her pain and probably a bruise.

* * *

Vegeta had shut down the bots minutes ago, and was restlessly prowling back and forth inside his gravity chamber. He kept feeling their ki, sensing it ebb and flow in an all too familiar pattern that indicated that they were arguing. It took all his restraint and willpower to not 'escort' the weakling away from the compound.

It wasn't until Vegeta felt the woman's ki spike up in alarm, and in pain, that something dangerous and wicked snapped within him.

Before either one of them knew what happened, Bulma's arm was easily pulled away from Yamcha's grasp, as Vegeta suddenly appeared, looking very much like the dark prince that he was. His eyes were menacing, flickering with some sort of long-hidden bloodlust. He was poised to kill, as his tail lashed behind him in unbridled anger.

Bulma was temporarily speechless as she was completely caught off-guard by Vegeta's sudden appearance. She thought that he'd go back to Vegetasei, after she had told him off. He had to be pissed off at her.

Yet, here he was.

Startled, she took a small step back as she mindlessly rubbed the sore area of her arm, not understanding why Vegeta was still there, and what had him so riled up. She figured it was because their yelling was disruptive to his sensitive Saiyan hearing.

"Vegeta!" Yamcha growled out, immediately taking a battle stance against him. Yamcha was still angry about being hung up on earlier, having it in his mind that the phone call was what the Saiyan was still angry about also. Vegeta's dark countenance wasn't going to intimidate him! Unfortunately he didn't realize Vegeta's reason for his aggression derived from something beyond that. Hell, even Vegeta himself did not fully comprehend his suddenly brazen behavior. "What the fuck is your problem?!" Yamcha bit out.

"You are." Vegeta snarled in an uncharacteristically calm, even tone.

Bulma looked at back and forth with apprehension at both Vegeta and Yamcha. What was going on? She racked her brain to quickly assess the situation and figure out what they were so on edge about. What the _hell_ had she missed?! They looked like they were ready to throw blows! Yamcha looked angry and tense, but Vegeta…damn, he looked like he was ready to kill someone.

"I think you need to leave, Yamcha." Bulma warned, as she found her voice after her initial shock. She had no sympathy at the moment for the situation Yamcha had found himself in. He hadn't respected her by leaving when she demanded. Even threatening him with the security guards didn't phase him. Now he had to deal with someone much worse.

"I think it would be wise for you to listen to her."Vegeta growled deeply, as he absent-mindedly placed a step in front of Bulma, his body shielding her partly from the scar-faced weakling.

Yamcha looked at him incredulously for a moment, seeing the subconscious, protective move the Saiyan made towards Bulma. Something akin to alarm and jealousy gave way inside of him. Who the hell did Vegeta think he was, to protect her from _him_?! Vegeta was the ruthless, temperamental, violent one! He gave the prince an angry, hateful glare. "Fuck off, Vegeta! This isn't any of your damn business! This is between me and Bulma! I'm warning you…get the hell away from my girl if you know what's good for you!"

Vegeta's tail snapped back and forth in rage. _"_How _dare_ you speak to Saiyan royalty that way, you _**insolent**__, __**weak**__, __**pathetic **_excuse for a flesh bag. You are treading lethal waters. Continue to provoke me, and I will not hesitate to extinguish the very ki that keeps you alive!"

"Get off your fucking high horse, _Prince _Vegeta!" Yamcha mocked his royal title. "You're not on _your_ planet right now, you're on Earth! What the fuck are you even _doing_ here anyway?! Don't you have your own damned monkey planet to rule over?!"

Vegeta growled as he fisted his hands, his arms trembling from the fury that lay just beneath the surface. He was reigning in all of his remaining willpower and restraining himself from snapping the weakling's neck like he had thought about earlier. Bulma's azure eyes widened as she heard Yamcha's dangerous words. The situation quickly turned south. She knew Vegeta…and all things considered, he had amazing amounts of patience with _her_, but not with very many other people. Yamcha was in grave danger and she needed to step in and do something_, fast, _before Vegeta did something that she couldn't blame him for, and before Yamcha's idiotic foolishness got himself killed.

"Yamcha, get the fuck away from here, _now_!" Bulma yelled out as she managed to sidestep Vegeta, and bravely stood in the line of fire between them. She was hoping her mere presence would make them second-guess starting a brawl right then and there, lest they injure her in the process. She glared up to her fiancée with bold authority. "I don't know what in Kami's name has gotten into the both of you, but _you_ need to leave.." she emphasized, pointing her finger to Yamcha's chest, '…and _you _need to calm down!" she finished, turning to Vegeta, laying her hand tentatively on his forearm in a pleading gesture. She was alarmed at how hot he was to the touch, as though his blood was literally boiling right beneath his skin.

Bulma's words fell on deaf ears, and her actions amounted to nothing, as both men refused to back down from each other. Neither one of them would yield, neither would submit. In a brash, ill-realized moment of absolute stupidity, Yamcha grabbed Bulma's arm again and turned her around to face him, dead-set on taking her away from the furious Saiyan so that he could have privacy with her. They needed to argue and discuss their problems _without_ any interruptions.

Bulma heard a vicious snarl from behind her, and that's all the warning that she and Yamcha ever had, before Vegeta's fist flew past her head, striking Yamcha squarely in his jaw. She distinctly heard the sound of bone cracking as Vegeta's punch sent him flying into the air, clear across the front yard. She gasped in distraught alarm as Yamcha brutally landed and scraped across the asphalt of the street. He looked like he was trying to reach out and clutch randomly at anything to slow down his momentum as he finally came to a halt.

Yamcha quickly staggered to his feet, wiping blood from the corner of his lips, cradling his jaw with one hand as he moaned in pain. He had cuts and scrapes on his arms, and his clothes were slightly tattered up from the asphalt. He was infuriated…the bastard had all but broken his jaw! He glared back hatefully towards the domed house, shouting loudly and powering up, blasting off from the street and flying back in a rage towards Vegeta, ready to knock his fucking lights out.

He had just inadvertently challenged the Saiyan prince.

Bulma quickly turned around to face Vegeta, and he growled deeply at the situation. Her shocked and fearful look, coupled with the silent plea in her eyes as she looked into his, did little to quell the tempest brewing within him. He was already angered at the weakling's stupidity for grabbing the woman's arm harshly _again_, but as he felt Yamcha's ki spike in rage, he became enraged at his foolishness. He sensed Yamcha flying back towards him at full power, and Vegeta's anger then turned to realization, alarmed that the weakling was reckless enough to try to fly back to the doorway where he and the woman were still standing at.

Didn't the idiot realize that the woman might get hurt?! That her parents might get hurt? That their home would get destroyed in the process?

Before Bulma could cry out against their fight in protest, Vegeta stepped forward and barred his arm across her, pushing her back behind him in safety as he let out a ferocious yell, powering up and blasting off from the front door. He met Yamcha close to halfway across the property as their energies collided with each other's fists, causing something similar to a sonic boom to resonate throughout Capsule Corporation grounds.

* * *

Did I just leave you at a cliffhanger? I think I did! ^_^ I figured here was a good place to stop at. Ok, so it isn't, but I'm evil like that! I hope it'll keep you coming back for more! What did you think? I hope you'll put your two cents in and leave a review. This chapter was lots of fun to write, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!


	6. Stormpulse

Oh wow, I didn't expect such a great reaction from the last chapter! Especially since I left you all in a cliffhanger, muahaha! I know some of you were unhappy out about being left hanging, but I hope I've made up for it with this extra long chapter!

To all you new readers and followers, I want to say welcome, and thank you for giving my story a chance! And to my loyal, faithful readers, your continued support humbles me. You guys are so awesome…I don't know what to say to all of you besides THANK YOU!

I know you've all been waiting patiently, so here it is! This chapter was an absolute JOY to write! It's by far my favorite chapter of the story so far. I've put a lot of love and work into it, and I hope it shows. I really, really hope you love it as much as I do.

A/N: This chapter is not for the squeamish.

_Alternate meaning of pulse: the underlying feeling, emotions, or sentiments of a group of people._

* * *

**Chapter 6- Stormpulse**

"Vegeta!" Bulma managed to blurt out in surprise as she was pushed backwards away from him, managing to catch a glimpse of the angry Saiyan blasting off from the doorway. She stumbled backwards, losing her footing as the back of her legs bumped into the arm of the couch. She fell back onto it ungracefully, pushing her hair away from her face as she scrambled to get up. "Shit!" Bulma cursed out loud as she gathered her bearings and hurried outside her front door. She ran out into the yard, stopping abruptly, desperately looking around for them. She looked upward, only to see bursts of light in the darkness, accompanied by startling booms and brief glimpses of the two men fighting, as they phased in and out of her sight. "STOP! BOTH OF YOU!" Bulma shouted in vain.

Like _that_ was really going to work.

Bulma heard Yamcha's choked growl, even though her eyes couldn't follow their movements. "I'm going to kick your ass, Vegeta!" he grit out a muffled threat, as Vegeta currently held him in a headlock. He was clawing at Vegeta's arms, trying to get him to release his iron grip.

Vegeta tightened his arm around Yamcha's neck, twisting it upward into an awkward and painful position. "Not if I snap your neck first!" he growled through his clenched teeth, his voice laced with impending promise that he would go through with it.

"Vegeta, no!" Bulma yelled out in alarm, as panic began to overtake her. "**STOP!**" she pleaded to him. Momentarily distracted by hearing the woman's plea, Yamcha took advantage and elbowed Vegeta forcefully in his stomach. Vegeta's hold loosened around Yamcha's neck as the move had caught him off guard. It was just enough for Yamcha to take full advantage as he managed to free his head from Vegeta's strangle. Without hesitation, Yamcha span around, aiming and releasing a very powerful, concentrated ki blast directly at Vegeta's chest. Bulma's eyes had seen them for a moment, and they widened in horror as Vegeta was thrown back from the force of the blast that had hit him.

"NO!" Bulma cried out, seeing Vegeta clutch at his chest. She feared the worst…that Yamcha had _actually_ managed to blast a hole through him. She was overcome with a torrent of emotions, fearing that Vegeta was gravely injured. "**YAMCHA!**" she screamed up at him in rage, not believing what he had just done.

Yamcha panted heavily, his arms still outstretched, as he waited for the smoke to clear, to see if he had caused Vegeta serious harm. He had put a great amount of energy into his blast, enough to really hurt him, or at the least disable Vegeta from the fight. A trickle of sweat ran down his brow, as his senses indicated that Vegeta's ki level was just fine. Yamcha had a horrible, sinking feeling that he was going to pay dearly for that. A chill ran up his spine as he heard a wicked chuckle, as the smoke began to clear. Vegeta continued to hover in the air, looking no worse for wear from Yamcha's most powerful attack. Yamcha fisted his hands in a fit of disbelief. "WHAT?! But _how_?!" he stammered.

How could that blast NOT have hurt him?!

Bulma couldn't help but let out an unsteady breath, grateful to see that Vegeta was okay. However, her relief was short-lived as she saw the two fighters squaring off again, and she was filled with a renewed sense of panic. She wasn't sure how long the fight would last, but either way, it wasn't going to end in a stalemate. She knew Vegeta was insanely powerful, and that he was holding back entirely from blasting Yamcha into mere ashes. She didn't understand how Yamcha could think he was going to win this pointless and senseless battle…he was either blinded by anger, or unbelievably naïve and delusional.

Vegeta smirked with twisted mirth, glaring at Yamcha with the lethal, predatory look of a panther. "That _might_ have actually killed me, if I was as weak as you are." he chuckled darkly, looking even more pissed off. The woman had distracted him, and Yamcha had exploited his momentary lapse in concentration. His breath had been knocked out of his lungs for a moment, but he was fully recovered now. "Is _that_ all you've got?" Vegeta taunted, going into another battle stance, holding his hand out and beckoning Yamcha to come at him with all he had. "I hope that wasn't the best you could do against me, **_weakling_**."

Yamcha snarled in anger. Vegeta's mocking words, along with his infuriating arrogance, grated his very last nerve. "I'll show you what I can do! You're going to regret this!" Yamcha shouted back at him as he powered up and flew off in a streak of light, aiming at Vegeta again. Bulma watched as Vegeta phased out of her vision, and she searched anxiously through the night sky, trying to track the both of them as they continued fighting. She took a couple of steps backwards in an awed sense of disbelief…Vegeta was toying around with him, and Yamcha had been stupid enough to have pissed off Vegeta and let this get as far as it did. She didn't have any sympathy towards him for it either.

Their fight continued, and Bulma winced as cracks of thunder resounded from their colliding energies. The streetlights around and throughout the compound had come on, as well as the pathway lights that lined the edges of the sidewalks. Even so, she still had trouble tracking them, and now and then she would see a beam of energy zip around. Flashes of light flickered like fireflies in the night, and it was almost all Bulma could see as Vegeta and Yamcha threw blows, getting out whatever anger and frustration had overcome them.

She could hear them yelling and bickering back and forth at each other as they brawled in and out of the shadows of light, but the sounds from their moves drowned out the clarity of their words, and she could not understand what they were telling each other. After a few moments, the ground suddenly jolted beneath her feet, and Bulma yelped out in alarm as she was thrown unsteadily to her knees. Someone had landed brutally into the ground, as a cloud of dirt and chunks of earth and rock erupted into the air. 'Shit!' Bulma yelled in her mind, getting up off the ground and running towards the decent-sized crater that had formed from the impact.

"That will be _enough _from you!" Vegeta raged as he appeared again in mid-air, glaring down at Yamcha in a spiteful way. "You need to be put in your place, human, and I'm more than willing to teach you that lesson!"

Yamcha spat blood out at the ground, showing insolence to the Saiyan prince, as he shakily stood up. He was pretty bruised and battered, but tried hard to not show it. He glared up hatefully at Vegeta. "Fuck you! I don't give a shit who you are, Vegeta! You're nothing but a _stupid monkey._" Yamcha yelled. "And you can't kill me! She'll never forgive you!" he defiantly challenged, in reference to something said previously.

Bulma brought her hand to her mouth as she gasped in shock, seeing it was Yamcha who had been thrown to the ground. She had felt bad for him at first, somewhat concerned about his well-being, until she neared closer and heard his atrocious words to Vegeta. Her eyes widened at Yamcha's still-existent defiance towards him, as he used _her_ as his trump card! Did he really believe that he could say what he wanted to Vegeta, and treat him in such a disrespectful way without serious repercussions?! Hearing Yamcha's words enraged her. She wasn't sure what exactly triggered this fight, but a wave of trepidation hit her. Yamcha was no match for Vegeta. Hell, the fact that Yamcha was still alive was a testament to Vegeta's restraint. Any other creature in the universe would have been dead already, if they even spoke half as disrespectfully to Vegeta the way Yamcha currently was. Bulma knew that this brawl had just turned into a battle of respect and pride, and both men would not back down until only one was left standing.

"Oh, I'm sure she'd forgive me…someday." Vegeta said calmly, his voice venomous, his threat lingering. "I would risk having the woman hate me for all eternity, if it meant we would finally be rid of the likes of you. Care to test out my theory?" Vegeta smirked, cracking his knuckles and rolling his neck, eager to show Yamcha that he held more sway over Bulma than the scar-face had previously thought.

Yamcha gulped, knowing Vegeta was getting serious. He wasn't one to be full of empty threats. Yamcha wanted to punch that smug smirk off his face! He burst forth from the crater, shooting back upwards towards Vegeta. The prince confidently brought his fist back and threw it forward, punching Yamcha back down into the crater. "Stay down!" Vegeta warned harshly, seeing him crash land on the ground again. Yamcha managed to get onto his feet once more, yelling out in a fit of rage. He powered up, and blasted off the center of the crater again, in another attempt to punch Vegeta's face in. Vegeta scowled, his dark eyes flickering with anger, quickly losing his will to show restraint as he coiled his fist back yet again, and threw it forward more forcefully this time, smashing Yamcha back down to the ground.

"I said, **STAY DOWN!**" Vegeta roared with authoritative command. He was done holding back. He was done showing restraint. His Saiyan pride demanded that no one, especially the weakling, continue to insult and challenge him. Saiyan law required that he no longer live, but scar-face was not a Saiyan, and could not hold him to the Saiyan ways. His pride did demand justice…perhaps he wouldn't kill him, but beating the weakling to within an inch of his life might teach him an important lesson. Vegeta shot down to the ground, landing next to Yamcha, and picked him up by the collar of his shirt, and growled into his face. _"If you know what's good for you, leave here NOW, before you lose your life."_

Yamcha responded by spitting the blood in his mouth onto Vegeta's face.

It was the last straw.

Vegeta snarled inhumanely and let go the hold on his shirt, throwing his fist back and upper-cutting Yamcha powerfully in his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Yamcha gasped in strain, trying to will the air back into his lungs, as Vegeta continued his brutal assault. Yamcha desperately tried to defend himself against Vegeta's aggressive attacks, but he was already pretty beaten up, and highly weakened. He wasn't fast enough, even at his best, to dodge all of Vegeta's blows.

Vegeta landed a sickening jab at Yamcha's face, breaking his nose. As Yamcha clutched at his face, Vegeta threw a cruel punch against his ribcage, effectively breaking some of his ribs. As Yamcha cried out and doubled over in pain, Vegeta swiftly brought his knee up into Yamcha's face, fully breaking his jaw and sent him flying up in the air. Vegeta flew up to grab him, twisting Yamcha's arm behind him painfully. "So, what was that about earlier, when you said you were going to kick my ass?" Vegeta mocked dangerously. Yamcha continued to cry out in pain as Vegeta continued to torque his arm, giving it an awful twist as a sickening crunch was heard. Yamcha screamed in agony as Vegeta broke his arm. The prince sneered as he pushed the weakling away from him, and watched as he clutched at his disfigured arm with his good one, barely having the energy to remain floating in the air.

Vegeta wiped his face of the weakling's blood. He glared at Yamcha with a fatal promise. "My patience with you has just about run out. If you value your life, leave and don't come back here." he couldn't help but smile wickedly. Oh how he wanted to end his pathetic life! Vegeta was somewhat amused that the weakling still hovered defiantly. He just didn't know when to give up.

Yamcha's body trembled, as the trauma he endured began to grip him fully. His energy level was rapidly depleting, and his body felt like it was going into shock, as random parts of him began to feel numb. "Fuck you! This is **_my_** home, Vegeta, **_not_ _yours!_** You can't stop me from being here!" Yamcha managed to grumble, despite having a broken jaw. His words sounded muffled and slurred, but he was sure Vegeta could understand him. "Why don't **_YOU_** leave? You don't belong here anyway, you belong with all the other _fucking monkeys_ on your _zoo planet_!"

Vegeta growled as he phased in front of Yamcha, gripping his good arm forcefully, spinning him around in the air in a dangerous whirlwind, before throwing him down back at the ground. Yamcha landed brutally as Vegeta and Bulma heard the break of bones again. Vegeta sneered, hoping that it was Yamcha's neck that had snapped this time, but unfortunately, it had only been his legs.

* * *

As the fighting had continued, Bulma stood mesmerized, like a deer in the headlights…too stunned by awed shock. She was horrified as the situation took a dangerous and serious turn for the worst, as Yamcha crossed the line, and Vegeta began to seriously hurt him. Bulma stood in dismay as the fighting continued. If she didn't step in and do something, Yamcha was going to die. "STOP IT!" Bulma screamed out again, panicked. It had gone too far! Vegeta wasn't going to stop until Yamcha was dead, and Yamcha was so sure that Vegeta wouldn't kill him. She frantically tapped her hands to the outside of her pockets, trying to find her cell phone to call Goku. He was the only one who could stop this fight. Where was her phone?!

Shit! She had broken it earlier!

"Fuck!" she exclaimed, as she turned and ran as fast as she could back towards the house. "Kami, I can't believe this!" she complained loudly. "Mom!" she yelled as she ran into the house. "MOM!" she rushed into the kitchen to grab the phone, only to be met with a hole in the wall, where the phone used to be. "What the hell?!" Bulma yelled out in surprise, not believing her luck. She looked around, and saw a similar hole in another kitchen wall. "Vegeta!" she growled unhappily, somehow knowing he had caused the damage.

She had to hurry and find a damn phone!

"What?! What is it?!" Bunny called out, alarmed at hearing the scary sounds outside and her daughter screaming bloody murder somewhere in the house. She turned the corner and stood in the doorway, seeing Bulma in the midst of a panic attack.

"It's Vegeta and Yamcha! They're fighting! He's going to kill him!" Bulma said frantically, not clarifying which man was killing which.

"Quick, call Goku!" Bunny said instinctually, as she ran into the kitchen to grab the phone. Belatedly she remembered Vegeta tearing it away from the wall earlier. "Oh dear…" Bunny murmured, looking at the hole in the wall, realizing the gravity of the situation they were in. How could they call someone, when the phone lines were down?

Bulma looked helplessly at her mother. Time was of the essence, and it was running out. She was on the verge of tears, not knowing how to get in contact with Goku. She couldn't find a phone!

"Your father!" Bunny realized out loud. "He's in his lab!"

Her mother was brilliant!

"Dad!" Bulma yelled, running out of the kitchen, speeding down a few hallways and downwards to her father's lab, continuing to yell for him the entire way. She burst through his lab door and looked around for him in a panic. "Dad! DAD!"

Dr. Brief had dropped his mug of coffee he was sipping from, startled from his daughters abrupt entrance into his lab. It crashed to the floor, the ceramic breaking into many unrepairable shards. "Sweetie? What?! What is it?!" he voiced in concern, hurrying over to his daughter and placing his gentle but strong hands on her trembling arms, trying to assess if she was hurt in any way.

"Vegeta and Yamcha are fighting outside! I can't stop them!" Bulma's quivering voice indicated she was on the verge of tears. "I need your cell phone! I need to call Goku!"

Dr. Brief swiftly removed his cell phone from his lab coat pocket and handed it to Bulma, who quickly dialed the Son residence. The seconds felt like eternity as she impatiently listened to the phone ring. "For the love of Kami, pick up the damn phone!" Bulma yelled out in frustration.

"Hello!" Goku greeted happily.

"GOKU!" Bulma yelled into the phone, making the good-natured Saiyan on the other end wince. Sometimes having more sensitive hearing wasn't always an advantage.

"Bulma, what is it?" Goku asked, his tone of voice turning somber as he heard her distress.

"I need you over here, _now_!" she emphasized with grave seriousness.

"On my way." was all she heard as Goku suddenly appeared in front of her. Thank the Yardrats for their instant transmission technique! He was about to ask her what was the matter, until he felt Vegeta's angry energy and Yamcha's dying one. He met Bulma's eyes in alarm, and before she knew it, Goku quickly phased outside.

Bulma had no time to sigh in relief. Just because Goku was there, it didn't mean that he was going to be able to stop the fight. He was the only one close enough to Vegeta's power level to even try. As powerful as Goku was in his own right, having him come over was a dangerous move in and of itself. She knew that Vegeta could just as easily start fighting with him….and that was something that she and Goku were risking.

* * *

Goku appeared right smack in between Vegeta and Yamcha, managing to intercept Vegeta's fist in mid-air as he was swinging it towards Yamcha's torso. Vegeta snarled at him. He had felt his ki arrive inside the home a few seconds ago, and knew the woman had called him there to stop him. It irritated him to know that the woman didn't trust his self-control! Vegeta looked past Goku at the weakling, who, in the brief reprieve, had succumb to his injuries. He watched Yamcha collapse to the ground, lying crumpled, broken, and bleeding profusely.

Well, maybe her fears weren't _completely_ unfounded.

"Vegeta, that's _enough_." Goku said sternly, letting go of his fist. He stood unyielding in front of his rival, friend, and above all, his prince. He dared not take his eyes off of him to tend to Yamcha. It was a risky move for him to interfere in Vegeta's affairs, but from what he felt from their energies and saw with his own eyes, Bulma had been right to call him over. "You're going to kill him."

Vegeta glared at Goku spitefully. "And?" he said, wiping Yamcha's blood off from his hands onto his shirt.

"Whatever this fight is about, it's over. He doesn't deserve to lose his life like this."

Vegeta's fur on his tail fuzzed up in irritation, as he growled deeply in his chest. "It's a bold move, Kakarot, for you to step in and interfere in business that does not pertain to you. He asked for this."

Goku remained silent for a moment. He wasn't sure what happened for this fight to have gotten to the point that it was at, but whatever it was, it must have been serious. He knew Vegeta had been suffering from insomnia lately, and was past the point of exhaustion, not to mention he sensed there was something else bothering him. Yamcha must have really pushed Vegeta's buttons to be in the condition he was currently in. Vegeta had shown exemplary willpower to have not killed him yet. Goku looked off to the side, choosing his next words carefully. "Maybe he did ask for it. Maybe he didn't. Either way, this is an unfair match."

Vegeta scoffed. "And so now here you are to _rescue_ him." he said in a mocking tone. "Apparently you think you have the right to stand up to your prince, so perhaps you want to take his place and fight his fight for him?" Vegeta asked in an threatening tone. He looked menacing, as the shadows of light and dark from the outdoor lighting gave Vegeta an almost unnatural, sinister glow.

"No." Goku assured him, raising his hands up slightly to show he was no threat, lowering his tail between his legs in a show of submission and respect to the Saiyan prince. "I'm not dumb enough to challenge you, Vegeta. You're my prince, but Yamcha is my friend, and I protect my friends."

Goku's respectful actions didn't go unnoticed by the prince. It was clear that Goku wasn't there to fight him, and Vegeta found himself disappointed. He still had a lot of pent up energy, and he wanted another body to take his anger and frustration out on. The prince growled, crossing his arms across his chest, as he wrapped his tail around his waist. "Always so noble, Kakarot. You're becoming more human than you are Saiyan. It disgusts me."

Goku shrugged, and remained standing firmly in front of Vegeta, not feeling any shame for what he so deeply believed in. Having sensed that Vegeta was calmed down enough, and reasonably sure that he wouldn't resume his violence, Goku turned slightly and looked down at Yamcha's broken body. Yamcha's ki was dangerously low, and he needed to get him to Korin's Tower for a senzu bean as soon as possible. "Vegeta, he's dying."

The prince scoffed, uncaring. "He deserves to die."

"And what about Bulma? What does she think about this?" Goku asked softly, nodding his chin towards her direction. Vegeta frowned for a moment as he turned in that same direction, seeing the woman slowly approaching them in the veiled light, walking over to Yamcha very timidly.

Bulma had initially rushed outside after Goku had disappeared, hoping he was in time to stop the fight. As she jogged down the front steps of her home and hurried across the lawn, she saw Goku standing between Vegeta and Yamcha. Her breath hitched in her throat, seeing Yamcha's body on the ground, very still. From her vantage point, she couldn't tell if his chest was still rising or not, but she saw Goku and Vegeta standing tensely, and feared the worst.

She slowed down to a lingering walk, as she felt her heartbeat in her throat. How in hell did things get this bad? She neared Yamcha…already she noticed his face was swollen and bruised, especially around his chin and jaw line. That must have been from when Vegeta broke his jaw. She looked at his bruises, and observed glints of white protruding from his legs and his arm. They were his bones. She saw his crimson red blood seeping from what seemed like everywhere. Her stomach felt nauseous, but not from what she was seeing.

Bulma had spent about half her life on Vegetasei. Saiyans were a proud, strong warrior race. Fighting was common amongst them. Strength decided what class everyone was in. Strength and battle prowess decided military rank. Strength decided the worthiness of a mate. More so, they even held tournaments, for the pure love and sport of fighting. She was no stranger to seeing bloody and bruised up beings. She was not unfamiliar with the gruesomeness of broken bones and damaged organs. She was pretty much immune to the sight of blood. So seeing her fiancée in this current state, one would think that she'd be in hysterics, crying over him, and having a panic attack, wanting to get him healed as soon as possible.

Instead, all she could do was intensely stare at Yamcha's chest. The dim light from the nearest streetlight enabled her to see that it still rose and fell, but just barely. Her nausea wasn't from the sight of horrible gruesome body that was on the ground. It was from the fact that she had never felt so much panic and concern for _Veget_a. When she saw Yamcha blast him point-blank with that ki beam, she thought Yamcha had killed him. No words in her vocabulary could describe that feeling of rage and heartbreak she had at that moment. When she saw that Vegeta was okay, she spent the rest of the fight worried about the both of them, but for different reasons. She was worried that Yamcha was going to get himself killed, but what scared her the most was that she was more worried about was Vegeta having such a serious blemish on his already unclean record. What would her parents say, if Vegeta had killed him? And the Z-fighters…what would they have said?

No one would understand. How could they? They didn't grow up around Saiyans, or in Saiyan culture like she had. They would _never_ be able to trust Vegeta again. They would never forgive him, and they would try to see that he never stepped foot on Earth again. She wasn't even sure Goku could forgive him, and he was the most kind, forgiving person she knew! An overwhelming feeling of distress and confusion engulfed her. She didn't want Yamcha to die because she _loved him_, she just didn't want Vegeta to kill.

Vegeta's fame was universal, not only for being the prince of the strongest race in the universe, or for being one of the strongest individuals himself, or for his intelligence, or for being a master tactician and strategist when it came to war…but he was also famous for being ruthless when he had to be, and he was not only admired and respected throughout the universe, but he was also highly feared. Bulma knew the fact that Yamcha was still alive reflected a grave hit to his pride that he was inexplicably enduring. He had shown admirable restraint against killing Yamcha, and she knew that his pride was unforgivably insulted…even more so for not killing him after such disrespect was shown towards him. Vegeta was not known to suffer insolent, disobedient, disrespectful beings for long. _No one _knew Vegeta like she did, and she knew this was something that would burn and seethe within him for a very long time.

Truthfully, she told herself, the most unnerving aspect of it all of it was that she wouldn't have blamed Vegeta if he had killed him…and she _wouldn't_ have hated him for eternity, like she had heard him say earlier. Bulma felt numb, as if she was in a dream. She felt detached from the sight of Yamcha's dying body in front of her, and felt bad that she _**didn't **_feel bad for him. He had almost pushed Vegeta to his final limits. He said horrible things that would have gotten anyone else quickly killed. If Vegeta had it set in his mind to kill Yamcha, he would have already done it before anyone could stop him. Vegeta was a proud, irritable, temperamental, stubborn, hot-headed Saiyan, but he was also one of the most intelligent and rational people she knew, when he wanted to be.

She was a terrible person, she reasoned with herself. She was choosing to side with Vegeta on this one.

Vegeta tightened his tail around his waist, seeing the woman approach her fiancée's body in deadly silence. He tensed up, having expected her to go off on a flying rage at him for beating up her man, but as the quiet seconds rolled by, he tried to study her face, attempting to get a read on what she was thinking or feeling. It frustrated him that he couldn't tell what was going on inside of her head, and he mentally cursed, wishing she had a damn tail so he could read her.

Goku had stood shell-shocked as well, seeing that Bulma was eerily calm about Yamcha's condition. True, she couldn't sense power levels or ki, but surely she could tell that Yamcha was in critical condition. He studied her for a few moments, and then noticed a rather large, darkening mark on her arm. It looked like a decent-sized bruise was forming. Goku wondered where she got it from. Had she been caught early in the fight between Vegeta and Yamcha? How'd she get hurt?

Goku frowned deeply. Vegeta would never hurt her, intentionally or accidentally. He was always so careful and mindful of her presence. And Yamcha would never hurt her either. So what happened, he wondered? The pieces of the puzzle failed to fall into place as both he and Vegeta were jolted out of their respective thoughts as Bulma's voice broke through. "Goku." she more said than asked. Her tone of voice reflected nothing Vegeta could decipher.

"Right." Goku nodded, understanding what she meant, as he walked over and kneeled down next to Yamcha. His ki was very low. He placed his hand on his shoulder, and raised two fingers to his forehead, ready to teleport to Korin's for a senzu bean. Probably two beans, by the looks of it.

"Your sentimentality is a weakness." Vegeta said, directing his comment at his Saiyan rival. He knew where Goku was taking him. The weakling would be all healed in mere minutes. The top half of Vegeta's tail uncurled and flicked irritably. So it all amounted to _nothing_. It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Goku looked up at Vegeta with a knowing look on his face. "Protecting the people you care about is not a weakness. It gives you amazing strength." he responded, as he looked over at Bulma's bruising arm, his vision lingering there for a couple of seconds. Frowning, Vegeta's eyes followed Goku's, and saw that he noticed the bruise on her arm as well. Vegeta growled in annoyance. The double-meaning held behind Goku's words was not lost on him.

* * *

Vegeta and Bulma watched as Goku teleported Yamcha away. Bulma then sighed deeply, covering her face with her hands and rubbing them downwards over her eyes and the rest of her face. She looked up at the sky for a moment in contemplation, before turning to face Vegeta. She looked at where he was standing…just outside a circle of light that shone down from a streetlight. She felt like it was déjà vu. It was almost like her dream she had the previous night.

Seeing her turn towards him, Vegeta crossed his arms across his chest and curled his tail back around his waist again. He stared down at the ground beside him, unwilling to apologize, if that is what she wanted from him. Her scar-faced weakling was getting healed in minutes, so he had done nothing to regret. He visibly tensed up as Bulma approached him. He didn't know what tactic she was going to use on him, but he was prepared. Let her yell, let her scream. Let her beat her tiny, fragile fists against his chest. Let her slap him if she felt like doing so. He would not hold it against her.

Imagine his surprise as she stepped into the light and stood in front of him, studying him for a moment. To anyone else, he might have looked intimidating. The shadows of light and dark that crossed his face made him look that way, but all she saw was a man, whose presence and place in her life she still could not clearly define. "Are you hurt?" she asked him, giving Vegeta a quick glance-over, seeing most of his body covered in dirt and sweat and blood.

"No." he simply stated, suddenly finding interest with a rock in the patch of grass he had been staring down at. Her tone of voice was unnerving. Why wasn't the woman yelling his ear off? He was sure she was going to flip a bitch on him any second.

Bulma didn't know what compelled her to do so, but she tentatively reached up and gently touched her hand to the exposed area of Vegeta's chest, where Yamcha's ki beam had hit him. It had burned a circle-shaped hole in Vegeta's shirt. The area of his skin was red and felt warm to the touch, but other than that, there was no wound. She just had to make sure.

Vegeta turned his gaze from the grass, down to her soft hand on his chest. Was she concerned? Didn't she know that it would take much more than a weak ki beam to hurt someone as strong as him? He looked up at her and their eyes met. His onyx eyes were indecipherable. Her sapphire eyes were unreadable.

Vegeta wasn't sure what compelled him to do what he did next. Maybe it was from his exhaustion and lack of sleep that he was suffering from lately. Maybe it was because her calm demeanor somehow soothed his tension also. He uncurled his tail from his waist, running the tip of it very lightly across the bruised area of her arm. Feeling the feather soft fur and the light caress of his tail, Bulma looked down at the side of her arm. It was then that she realized she had a bruise forming. She knew Yamcha had grabbed her arm there a couple of times during their argument, but hard enough to have left a bruise? She vaguely remembered that it had hurt, but paid it no mind when Vegeta appeared.

Bulma continued to look down at his tail as it continued to lightly skim over the bruise. She recalled her dream from earlier, when her and Vegeta were in the darkness, by a ring of light as they talked. She remembered how Yamcha had clutched at her arm in the nightmare. She remembered how her and Vegeta were up at the altar, and he had caressed her arm in that same general area. Bulma turned her gaze from his tail on her arm, back up into Vegeta's eyes, her own reflecting a deep, disturbing confusion.

The parallels between her dream and reality were unsettling. The similarities had to be some sort of an anomaly. Dreams couldn't foretell aspects of the future, could they?

The woman's hand on his chest made him uncomfortable. Maybe it was because her behavior was not what he expected of her. Wasn't she still angry with him from earlier? He just beat the shit out of her future husband, to within an inch of his life. Shouldn't she be utterly infuriated with him? The woman wasn't in a fitful rage, destroying his hearing with her angered complaints about how he almost killed her man. She wasn't clawing at him, trying to beat him up and let out her wrath and frustration. Not that she could hurt him anyway. She never took out her aggression on him physically, and if she started now, he would not find it unjustified. So when Bulma looked back up into his eyes, he saw that they reflected nothing like that at all. Instead, her hand had lingered on his chest, all the while his tail seemed to have a mind of its own.

Vegeta then took a step backwards, separating himself from her touch. He was alarmed at their mutual, somewhat affectionate actions towards each other. "Put healing salve on that." he recovered quickly, wrapping his tail back around his waist securely again, as he nodded his head towards the bruising area of her arm. "I won't accept an injury as an excuse for not working on fixing my machine."

Bulma quickly recovered also, pulling her hand back and placing it self-consciously over her bruise, trying to shield it from his vision. She rolled her eyes at him. "Typical. Thanks for caring."

"Hn."

Bulma then looked around, and saw the door to her home open, and what looked like her mother and father standing in the doorway, watching them. Likewise, Vegeta followed her gaze to the door and saw them also. He frowned, and turned away from Bulma, looking up into the night sky…which was a much different direction than her home and the gravity room were located. She could tell he was intent on leaving somewhere. She hoped it wasn't to the Lookout to hunt down Yamcha, since that was the general direction in the sky he was looking at. "Where are you going?"

"Back to Vegetasei." he stated calmly, looking back over his shoulder at her expectantly. "Coming with me, woman?"

It was a veiled question. Bulma didn't realize that he didn't really expect her to come with him. She didn't realize that even if she did decide to go with Vegeta, that he wouldn't demand that she fix his machine tonight. She didn't realize that he was leaving Earth because he didn't want Yamcha seeking him out for vengeance and risk killing him the second time around.

They both didn't realize that he wanted her with him.

"No." she said reluctantly, knowing it wasn't the answer he wanted to hear. The anger she had felt towards Vegeta earlier had been forgotten. She wasn't going to go with him tonight for a different reason. She saw Vegeta's demeanor darken slightly, knowing he was not pleased. "I need to stay here." she stated, knowing she needed to be on Earth and try to fix the rift between her and Yamcha, which was worsened by tonight's events.

Vegeta knew she was going to stay and try to check up on scar-face. He said nothing. He had nothing to say. Well, he had many choice things he _could_ say, but chose not to. He was not overly concerned though…he would make sure Goku remained on Earth with her, in case Yamcha tried to hurt her in someway again. "Being number four is really starting to piss me off." Vegeta said seriously.

Bulma studied him, knowing he was irritated with her still, by the way the tip of his tail flicked against his hip. "I'll have Goku take me sometime tomorrow afternoon." she promised. "Then _maybe_ I'll work on your machine."

"Hn. I think it's time for me to find another _genius_ female who has her priorities straight." he threatened lightly.

Bulma rewarded him with a slight smirk. "Asshole."

"Just add it to the list, woman." Vegeta smirked back, as he flew off, heading toward the direction of the Lookout. Bulma sighed and ran her hands through her hair, watching him take off. She hoped he was just going to find Goku to have him teleport him back to Vegetasei, and not go to the Lookout to antagonize Yamcha. Shaking her head, she walked back towards her home, noticing her parents weren't standing at the door watching them anymore. She didn't think anything of it as she stepped inside and closed the door, leaning her forehead against it. She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and slowly let it out a shaky breath.

Bulma felt the stress on her shoulders increase tenfold. What the hell was she supposed to do now? Her loyalties were clearly torn. She wasn't sure how things were going to play out with Yamcha. They both needed some time to cool down, and try to salvage what was left of their relationship, if there was anything left to salvage there at all. She was sure that he might just call off the wedding now, and part of her hoped that he did. And as for Vegeta…

Her reaction to thinking he had been gravely injured or killed was a sign she couldn't deny, since it was in stark contrast to her lack of emotion towards her fiancée's injuries. Her feelings for the prince were starting to push through, and she couldn't stop how she was beginning to feel for him. Still, she pushed it aside and ignored it. She reasoned she only cared for Vegeta because he had been around her ever since she could remember. They were very close, closer than either one of them would ever admit, so of course she'd be so overly concerned about him. How could she not be?!

It seems her heart had already strayed, long before she was ever aware.

* * *

So, I'm thinking this is no longer the short-story I initially intended it to be! The more I'm writing this, the more it's looking like this is going to be a long journey, and it's one I'm hoping all of you will keep joining me in!

How'd you like this chapter? It's my first time trying to write a fight scene, and I'm not sure that I did as well of a job as I could have. It was still exciting to write, nonetheless! Did you catch the correlations between Bulma's nightmare, and the events that happened? I'm pretty proud of myself for working that into the story. And how about the tender moment between our favorite couple? Thought I'd throw in that little teaser.

Thanks for reading! Leave a review and tell me what you think! And please stay tuned for chapter 7!


	7. The Miles That Separate

Hi everyone! First off, let me start by thanking all of you for continuing to read my story! Once again, I was amazed and humbled by all the reviews for the previous chapter! Thank you for letting me know what you think of when it comes to story progression.

And secondly…..I thought the number 7 was supposed to be a lucky number! Somebody lied to me, because chapter 7 was the hardest chapter for me to write so far!

As most of you know, I hit a BIG writer's block right after I posted chapter 6. Even now, I'm still suffering from it. Honestly, I wasn't sure how this chapter was going to turn out. Up until a couple of days ago, not one word of this chapter had been written. Luckily my writer's block had temporarily broken in the middle of the night, and I wrote all that I could of this chapter before I had to get to sleep. I'm happy to say that I finished the majority of this chapter at that time, and managed to push though the rest. I'm actually satisfied and pleased with this next installment of my story.

Quite a few of you expressed your curiosity on what this next chapter was going to be about. There were some clever guesses and speculations for sure! Just to let you know, this is an insightful chapter. I wouldn't really say it's a 'fluff' chapter, because honestly, I see no fluff. My opinion doesn't matter though, yours does, so I will let you be the judge of it! To make up for the long wait while I battled my writer's block, I managed to make this the longest chapter of the story so far. I hope you enjoy it!

A/N: I did not make Dragonball Z. I did, however, try to make Vegeta take a Galick Gun to my writer's block. He told me to learn to deal with it myself, and he stormed off somewhere. He can be a real jerk sometimes. A real good-looking jerk.

* * *

**Chapter 7- The Miles That Separate**

Vegeta flew away far enough to where he was out of Bulma's range of vision. Now he could use his instant transmission technique to teleport home. Don't ask him why he didn't want the woman to know he had been working hard at learning the skill for the past few months. Perhaps he was keeping it as an ace up his sleeve. Perhaps he didn't want to be her personal intergalactic chauffer. He had a feeling once Bulma knew he learned the technique and could teleport not only between their worlds, but many places throughout their galaxies, that she would bother him instead of Goku to take her everywhere. He figured he'd let her know about it someday, or at the least, surprise the hell out of her by taking her somewhere unexpectedly. He grinned mischievously at the thought. She'd have a field day with that one.

Vegeta then shook his head, getting distracted for the hundredth time by thoughts of the woman again. Frowning, he tried clearing his mind, knowing he should teleport home back to Vegetasei, but something kept nagging at him. If he stayed on Earth, then he could stay at Capsule Corp and continue his training in the one gravity room that still happened to be functional…at least until the woman was ready to head to Vegetasei to fix the one there. On the other hand, he was already trying his parents' patience when it came to his royal duties and responsibilities. Diplomatic meetings and intergalactic treaties were horridly boring, and dangerous, especially when all the political red tape got to his nerves and he lashed out at foreign dignitaries. It may not have been the best way to establish civil and amicable relations with the leaders of other planets, but hell, he wouldn't compromise or bend when it came to what policy should be agreed upon. Vegeta was sure he would get some grief from being gone all day _again_, but so what? He was training….and kicking Yamcha's ass. He had a legitimate excuse.

Vegeta continued to fly upwards through the dark sky as he looked at the stars, and honed in on his beloved planet. He _should_ go home. He should teleport home, get reprimanded by his parents, and by Nappa and Raditz, who no doubt got in trouble for not knowing where he went off to. He couldn't help but smirk in amusement. It was pretty hard for his bodyguards to guard him when he could teleport off-planet at his very whim. He _should _go home, and wait for the woman to arrive the next day. He _shouldn't_ go to the Lookout, antagonize Yamcha, and possibly start round two of ass-kicking. Clearly the woman was not upset at him for putting her weakling fiancée in his place, but going to the Lookout would be instigating trouble, and she would frown down upon him this time around. Still…he enjoyed getting her riled up and ruffling up her feathers. He was sure he could get away with it.

Vegeta knew that the woman cared for him more than Yamcha. Her actions tonight had proved it so, and he found himself inexplicably full of pride for some reason. In his heart, something inside of him was wanting to prove that he was a better option to be her mate than Yamcha was. The instinctual beast inside of Vegeta had defended his territory, and it urged him once again to stake his claim that _he_ was the alpha male and that _he_ was more deserving of Bulma's affections. So, instead of taking the high road and going back to Vegetasei, the prince stopped midair and placed two fingers to his forehead, focusing on Goku's ki. Yep, there he was, thousands of feet up in Earth's atmosphere, near the Lookout, no doubt still getting scar-face healed. Vegeta smirked triumphantly as he transmitted himself to Korin's Tower.

* * *

Goku had a serious look on his normally cheerful face, as he subconsciously kept tabs on Vegeta's ki. He watched as Master Korin had finished feeding Yamcha a freshly-harvested senzu bean, but he was more concerned about the fluctuations in the prince's ki as it seemed to near closer. Goku's eyes widened the moment he felt Vegeta's ki appear next to them before anyone else saw him. He inwardly groaned. He should have known that Vegeta wouldn't leave well enough alone. Especially now that Bulma wasn't around.

Vegeta had appeared abruptly, startling the hell out of Yajirobe and Master Korin, and scaring the crap out of Yamcha.

"Whoa, what the hell man?!" Yajirobe blurted, hiding behind the wise, sageful cat for protection.

"It's raining Saiyans tonight, that's for sure." Master Korin chuckled uneasily, squinting up at the prince.

Yamcha couldn't open his mouth to say anything. Mostly for three reasons. One, the feeling of dread that hit him had temporarily silenced him, because it was suddenly obvious that Vegeta knew the instant transmission technique, and that made him all the more dangerous. Second, Yamcha couldn't open his mouth because he wasn't completely healed yet. Even with the one senzu bean, his jaw was still sore and it hurt to talk. Third, he was quiet because he was dead sure that Vegeta was there to finish what he had started.

The wise cat bowed down, showing respect to the prince. "Ah, Prince Vegeta. An honor to have you here at my tower." Master Korin then proceeded to smack Yajirobe in his rotund stomach with his walking stick, forcing him to bow down to Vegeta as well. "Are you here for a senzu bean also?" he asked carefully, seeing the prince covered in blood. It wasn't hard for him to put two and two together to figure out what happened. Yamcha had been badly beaten up, and Vegeta was bloody...and it didn't seem as though Vegeta was bleeding any of his own blood.

Vegeta crossed his arms across his broad chest and looked at them. He was instilled with all the authority that being royalty entitled him with, and demanded of them all the respect that came with it. "No." Vegeta scoffed. "I am not here for a senzu bean. I am here to resolve an unfinished matter." he said darkly, dismissing the keepers as he turned his attention to Yamcha. The prince sneered hatefully at him, the smell of Yamcha's fear was thick in the air. It was disgusting. The weakling was pathetic, really. The prince found it amazing how all of scar-face's previous confidence and bravado suddenly disappeared once he was beaten to within an inch of his life. What the woman saw in him, he would never know.

Vegeta glared menacingly at him, earning a nervous gulp from both Yamcha and Yajirobe. The temptation to put an end to Yamcha's life was too great. No one could stop him, not even Goku. The only one who might be able to was Bulma, and she was very far away. Vegeta smiled darkly. He knew he could kill Yamcha in the few seconds it would take Goku to teleport to Bulma and transmit her there to the Tower. And Goku was not dumb enough to leave Yamcha alone for even those few seconds, especially after the events that had transpired tonight.

Vegta must have been glaring at Yamcha for too long, because the prince suddenly felt Goku's ki wavering. Goku was abnormally tense, almost in anticipation, probably thinking that he was there to finish the job on Yamcha. Vegeta smirked. He wasn't _completely_ wrong. He was definitely thinking it.

"Vegeta, what are you doing here?" Goku questioned hesitantly, knowing that Yamcha wasn't fully healed yet. Vegeta's aura was dark and suffocating. Goku could feel it. They all could feel it. Yamcha was extremely vulnerable, but then Goku realized that even if Yamcha were at his strongest and healthiest, he would still be too weak to take on the prince. One bean had helped heal him greatly, and he was no longer on the brink of death, but he still needed at least one more to get him back to full health. If Vegeta had decided to kill Yamcha this time, he wasn't sure he could stop him. Why else would Vegeta be there? He had a score to settle. Goku swallowed with difficulty, he was actually nervous…he wasn't sure if he could grab Bulma and teleport her back there in time to have her stop Vegeta from killing Yamcha.

"I told you, Kakarot, to resolve an unfinished matter." the dark prince answered Goku's question without falter. Inwardly, Vegeta felt victorious for some reason, as his tail swished contently behind him. He had been tested to great limits, restraining himself from killing Yamcha, when by all means he should have. He was triumphant in defeating Yamcha, making him look pitiful, weak, and pathetic in front of the woman. He had not been reprimanded by the woman for his violent actions, and instead he had received some sort of concern and affection from her. _That_ was what really made him content.

Not to mention he currently had those standing in front of him extremely uneasy and on edge, fearful and even scared of what he was going to do next. Vegeta knew how to play the part, that was for sure. And he was enjoying every second of it.

Vegeta smirked at Yamcha…a victorious, smug, arrogant, delighted smirk, advertently giving away that he was _not_ there to kill him. The fear that gripped Yamcha at seeing that type of smirk from him could not be put into words. It was a side of Vegeta he didn't know existed. It sent a shiver of dread through Master Korin and Yajirobe as well. They expected nothing but seething hate and vengefulness from the prince.

Not this twisted and warped playfulness.

Goku seemed to be the only one unfazed by this point. He saw Vegeta's tail swish in contentment, reading that he was actually quite pleased with himself and what was going on. Immediately, Goku relaxed, knowing that he should have guessed that Vegeta was up to his mischievousness. He was somewhat amused at the prince's sick sense of humor. "Well played, Vegeta. Now really, why are you here?" Goku asked again.

Vegeta turned his gaze from a horrified Yamcha, the stunned cat, and the fat samurai, back over to Goku. He wrapped his tail back around his waist, deciding it was time to stop playing mind games and get back down to business. "I'm heading back to Vegetasei tonight. The woman has chosen to stay here, for now."

"Alright…" Goku trailed off, wondering why Vegeta would bother wasting his time to come tell him this. He figured he would go back to their home planet, but he _did_ find it interesting that Bulma wasn't going with him. When she was Earthbound, she was _always_ looking for a reason to go to Vegetasei. Goku studied the prince for a moment. If this information was for his ears only, Vegeta would have pulled him away from everyone else to speak with him in private. It seemed he wanted Yamcha and the rest of them to hear whatever he had to say also.

Vegeta noticed the slight confusion coming from Goku. He sighed irritably, wondering if Goku had really been dropped on his head as a young cub or not. The rumors were inconclusive, but it would explain why he wasn't always quick to catch on to things. "Kakarot," he stated firmly, in a tone that commanded his attention, "You are to remain here on Earth and protect her until she is ready to leave."

Yamcha visibly tensed at the prince's words. More specifically, the use of the word 'protect'. He wasn't dumb, he knew what Vegeta was saying! He thought that he would hurt Bulma somehow and he was going to make Goku be her bodyguard until she left the planet! Yamcha recalled earlier when Vegeta had stepped in front of her to protect her from _him_! The jealousy and animosity began to bubble up within Yamcha again, as he fisted his hands. _He_ was no threat to her, Vegeta was!

"But, why can't you stay here and take her to Vegetasei yourself?" Goku asked, scratching the back of his head in puzzlement. Wouldn't Vegeta want to be the one to protect her in case Yamcha got too rough with her again? He knew how to teleport from Earth to Vegetasei now…why wouldn't he want to stay around and take her back with him? Was he really entrusting him to watch over her in his absence?

"I refuse to wait around all day for her again." Vegeta clipped coldly. "I have important matters to attend to, as does she." he said sternly, glaring at Yamcha again in a veiled warning. "I would prefer not to be here when she does." he finished, no wicked and twisted playfulness found in his voice. He was dead serious this time, indirectly warning Yamcha that he better watch himself. Vegeta despised the idea of leaving the woman on Earth. It didn't sit well with him. He knew that she was going to try to repair the bridge between her and scar-face, and if he had already hurt her once in his temper, chances are he might do it again. He knew their 'discussion' about their relationship and the events of tonight would not go over civilly, but the woman declined his offer to come with him. Whether Vegeta liked it or not, he had to accept it. Better to have Goku nearby to intervene, if necessary.

The bulb in Goku's head finally turned on, and he then understood what the prince was saying. No doubt if Vegeta stayed on Earth, it would just prompt more trouble. If Yamcha crossed his path the next time around, he might not get away with his life again. Goku then sensed Yamcha's ki spike up in irritation. If Vegeta had noticed it, he didn't let on that he did. He had to agree with Vegeta…he was making a wise decision, because by the feel of things, Yamcha wouldn't let go of anything anytime soon. Goku frowned, turning his attention from Yamcha back to Vegeta. "Sure, I'll bring her when she's ready. I was going to stay the night here with Chi-Chi and Gohan anyway." he said, nodding in understanding, assuring the prince that he would stay and watch over Bulma.

Satisfied with his answer, Vegeta nodded. "Good. Bring her home to me tomorrow afternoon."

Vegeta did not mean for his words to come out they way that they did. He wasn't sure what compelled him to say what he just said, but that instinctual beast living right beneath his skin demanded that he stake his claim to those in front of him. They all knew that Bulma lived at both worlds, loved both worlds, and considered both worlds her home. Vegeta's declaration on where Bulma belonged and who she belonged to showed itself fully, and it was something that he had tried hard to deny to himself for a long time. The significance of Vegeta's statement may have been lost on Master Korin and Yajirobe, but it was not completely lost on Goku or Yamcha. It was apparent to both of them that the prince felt that Vegetasei was more Bulma's home than Earth was….that Bulma belonged with him there, rather than here on Earth without him.

Goku was somewhat surprised at Vegeta's words. He was sensing a very strong and confident ki coming from the prince as he then suddenly felt Yamcha's ki spike up from irritation to anger. Goku quickly looked over at Yamcha, turning serious at the change between the both of them. In the blink of an eye there was suddenly a different sort of tension between Vegeta and Yamcha now.

Yamcha felt his blood boiling, and he was quickly enraging at Vegeta's words. He was about to open his mouth and oppose Vegeta's audacity. How _dare _he say that Vegetasei was her home! She was a human born on Earth! _Here_ was her home, not on that planet full of monkeys! And what was this about Goku bringing _his_ fiancée to Vegeta? As if she _belonged_ with him! Yamcha was sure that Vegeta was delusional. But before he could say anything to the Saiyan prince, Goku had shot him an uncharacteristically stern and dangerous glare, prompting Yamcha to shut his mouth before he said anything to Vegeta that would most likely get him killed this time. Lady luck could only help out his friend so much tonight, and judging by Yamcha's reaction to his non-verbal warning, he had gotten the message: Don't push it. Yamcha inwardly agreed…it was better to live and fight another day.

"I'll bring her." Goku reassured again, turning his attention back to Vegeta. He took a moment to study his rival and friend. Vegeta's demeanor had turned serious, his eyebrows were furrowed, and there was a frown on his face as he stood there in silence, thinking.

Vegeta nodded, acknowledging Goku, but saying nothing else. He didn't know where these feelings about the woman were coming from, but the slip of his words greatly disturbed him. It left a deep, unsettling, nervous sensation in his stomach, and it moved upward, clutching around his chest as it pawed at his heart. He took a deep breath in and let it out in a huff, growing irritable with himself as he pushed the sensation away, trying to ignore it.

Goku saw that Vegeta seemed very disturbed and bothered by something…this was the _exact_ same way the prince was acting almost every morning as of late. He would find the prince pacing around the gravity room, or prowling the palace at insane hours of the night and early morning, seeming to carry around some invisible burden that he could not escape from. Goku already had an inkling that it had something to do with Bulma, but now he was sure of it!

Vegeta noticed that the gears inside of Goku's head were starting to turn, and at this moment that was something he didn't want to deal with _at all_….mostly because he hadn't yet figured things out for himself either. He shot Goku a stern look as he placed two fingers on his forehead. Without saying another word to anyone, Vegeta teleported back to his home planet.

He convinced himself that he needed to get some sleep, badly.

* * *

It was suddenly much easier to breathe once the surly Saiyan prince was gone. Well, easier for Yajirobe and Master Korin, that is. Goku and Yamcha seemed just as tense even though the threat was now gone.

"Jeez, now he knows Instant Transmission?! Great going, Goku! Just what we need…a loose cannon who can now be anywhere, at anytime!" Yajirobe grumbled, stepping away from his supposed safety behind the cat. He crossed his arms across his stomach. "Why'd you have to go and teach him that?!"

"If anything, Vegeta's the one who would have learned the technique before me, if he hadn't been tied down by work and politics." Goku commented neutrally, momentarily distracted, still thinking about Vegeta's behavior. Fortunately he didn't have much time to mull things over and put two and two together, as he watched Master Korin take out another senzu bean from a pouch.

"Here." the cat said, handing the bean over to Yamcha. "Would have given it to you sooner, but with Vegeta standing right there and all…the last thing I wanted to do was make him angry." he said honestly, knowing that Vegeta had been on the verge of killing Yamcha when Goku teleported him there. He didn't know if Vegeta had wanted him healed or not. Better to be safe than sorry when it came to the Saiyan prince.

Yamcha rolled his eyes as he took the bean. It made him sick how everyone had to walk on eggshells around Vegeta. He didn't know how anyone could stand him. "Make him angry? Trust me, it's not a difficult feat. Everything sets him off. He's a ticking time bomb."

"He's not that bad." Goku intervened, subtly coming to the defense of his rival and friend. "Sure, he's rough around the edges, but that's just who he's always been."

"More like razor-sharp around the edges." Master Korin chuckled, leaning on his walking stick, looking at Yamcha. Out of everyone there, Yamcha found that out first hand tonight.

"You get used to it." Goku said simply, shrugging at the mere fact that it was true. He noticed Yamcha's expression darken at his words, and realized that having to be around someone that almost killed you would _probably_ be something that no one could get used to. Especially when someone was Vegeta.

"Get used to it? No way, man! Vegeta is terrifying. Seriously. He gives me the creeps. He's borderline evil, I can feel it." Yajirobe put his two cents in, feeling much braver to voice his opinion now that the prince was safely away in another quadrant of the galaxy.

"Brave words coming from a big chicken like you, Yajirobe! I'd like to see you tell Vegeta that when he's here!" Master Korin challenged.

"Like he'll ever show up here again! I'll tell him that the next time he comes here!" Yajirobe boasted, as he and the tiny feline began to squabble about who was chicken shit and who had the balls to stand up to the Saiyan prince.

Meanwhile, Goku inwardly sighed in relief, glad that Vegeta had left for back home. "Good seeing you again Master Korin. Yajirobe! Thanks for the beans!" Goku said cheerfully. Yamcha thanked them also as they watched the cat and the samurai began to stroll away, still discussing the Saiyan prince.

Evidently, Vegeta was a hot topic lately.

Goku looked back at Yamcha, seeing him still chewing on the second senzu bean. He figured now was as good a time as any to talk to him. He placed his hand on Yamcha's shoulder, and brought two fingers to his forehead, concentrating on Gohan's ki as they left from Korin's Tower and teleported right outside his home on Mt. Paozu.

* * *

"Thanks Goku." Yamcha said, glad to be closer West City. It beat the hell out of him having to fly all the way from the Tower to his apartment. Speaking of, the sooner he could fly home and bathe and change his clothes, the better. He didn't like being in his bloody, battered clothing anymore than he had to. He then remembered his car was still at Bulma's, and he frowned deeply. He would have to get it tomorrow morning…_IF_ it was still there, assuming Bulma didn't call and already have it towed to the junk yard to be made into scrap metal. _And_ that's assuming if she didn't cut off his access to the grounds, like she had threatened him. Hell had no wrath like Bulma's fury, and the argument between them had been pretty bad right before Vegeta had shown up. She was probably still pretty pissed at him. Hell, he was still angry with her also.

"You don't know how lucky you are." Goku told Yamcha sternly, jolting him out of his current thoughts. He looked at Goku, somewhat shocked. Goku was scolding _him_?

"What?" Yamcha asked, dumbfounded, as he swallowed the remains of the second bean. It sent a familiar wave of relief to his battered body as it finished healing up the rest of his injuries.

"I said, you don't know how lucky you are. Anyone else would be dead right now." Goku repeated, giving Yamcha a serious look.

Yamcha scoffed, not believing that he was being reprimanded by Goku, of all people! Feeling a thousand times better, Yamcha spoke confidently. "Hah, luck had _nothing_ to do with it. I _knew_ he couldn't kill me."

Goku inwardly groaned. "Yes, Vegeta _could have _killed you, that much is painfully obvious." he emphasized, gesturing at Yamcha's bloody, torn up clothes. "What you're completely missing here is that he _wouldn't_ kill you."

"Exactly." Yamcha grumbled, brushing Goku's words away as he examined his limbs and stretched them out, feeling the wholeness and health back in his body. "Killing me would only serve to piss Bulma off. Killing me meant he would have lost his precious mechanic."

Goku shook his head in disbelief. He wasn't sure if Yamcha was really that blind, or naïve, or delusional. Surely he must know that Bulma meant much more to Vegeta than that. She wasn't just his own personal mechanic. Did Yamcha think that all she ever did on Vegetasei was work for him and the Saiyans, and never do anything else? Like live and be happy there, and have a life that she shared with Vegeta? Did Yamcha really not know that Vegeta was as much here on Earth with Bulma, as she was on Vegetasei with him?

Was Yamcha really not around to see and know all of this? Or was he just in flat out denial?

"No, Yamcha…" Goku continued, "…you're not understanding what I'm trying to say. Vegeta didn't kill you _because_ of Bulma."

"I know." Yamcha said irritably, annoyed at how they were talking in circles. "Because if he killed me, Bulma would never forgive him, and never deal with him again. Why are we still discussing this?" he asked, wondering what point Goku was trying to make.

Chi-Chi had left the porch light on, and Goku looked at Yamcha in the dim light, a stern look on his face as his eyebrows furrowed in concern. He wasn't sure how much more clearer he needed to be to get his point across to his friend. "Yamcha, Vegeta didn't kill you…_not_ because he didn't want Bulma to be angry with him and possibly lose his mechanic. He _wanted_ to kill you. He _could have _killed you. But he _didn't_….because he didn't want to hurt her."

"Didn't want to hurt _her_?" Yamcha said incredulously. Now _that_ had his attention.

Goku nodded. "You and Bulma are getting married in just days. Killing you could have broken her heart." he stated simply, choosing his words carefully. Yamcha didn't seem to catch that he said 'could' instead of 'would.' He realized that Yamcha must not have been conscious from when he appeared to stop the fight, to when he teleported him to the Tower. Goku had seen Bulma's lack of reaction to Yamcha's dying body. She didn't freak out, she didn't panic….she didn't burn her bridge with Vegeta over what he did, and obviously Vegeta hadn't burned any bridges with her either. Gathering from his conversation with Vegeta earlier, things between him and Bulma seemed eerily fine, considering the situation.

But it wasn't Goku's place to tell Yamcha of Bulma's reactions, or lack thereof. Vegeta obviously knew it wasn't his place to tell either.

"So nice of him to be concerned about how she feels." Yamcha spat out bitterly. "Next you're going to tell me that Vegeta listens to her feelings and that he's also her best friend." he sneered, speaking to Goku in a condescending tone. For some reason, Yamcha's attitude and unwillingness to hear him out made Goku irritable. That was a feat in and of itself, because Goku was one of the most patient, understanding people around.

"Vegeta would do _anything_ for her. Even let you live, when he probably shouldn't have." Goku said firmly, earning a shocked look from Yamcha, as he was stunned into silence by Goku's sudden change in attitude towards him. "You're my friend Yamcha, but _**whatever you did **_to piss Vegeta off the way you had, it must have really been something. You were _**this**_ close to dying…" Goku paused, emphasizing his point by pinching his pointer finger almost to his thumb. "…and he's not known for being a lenient or forgiving man."

Yamcha fisted his hands in irritation, managing a difficult swallow, trying to rein in this feeling of betrayal he was suddenly feeling at Goku's words. "Oh, so now you're siding with _him_?"

Goku sighed, frustrated. "No, Yamcha. I'm not. I'm just giving you my advice. You're my friend. You know I that I love you and Bulma, very much. I want nothing more than to see you both happy, but you _have to realize _that whether you like it or not, Vegeta's going to be around for pretty much the rest of your lives." Goku then softened his voice, trying to reach out to his longtime friend. "He cares for her, Yamcha. And Bulma cares for him. They hold a lot of sway over each other. You're blind if you don't see that."

"What are you trying to say, Goku?!"

"I'm saying, make things right with Bulma _**and**_ with Vegeta. You might not want to, but you're going to have to, because if she has to decide between you or Vegeta, don't assume that she'll choose you."

Yamcha couldn't believe what he was hearing! How could Goku say that?! "That's ridiculous! What makes you think she would choose him over me?! I've known Bulma since we were teenagers…"

Goku interrupted him. "And Vegeta's known her since she's been born."

"So?! I've been in a relationship with her for over 10 years!"

"They've grown up together." Goku rebutted.

"Not all the time! Half the time she was here on Earth!"

"And you and Bulma haven't been together this whole time either. You both have been on and off again lots of times during those 10 years, Yamcha." Goku said, seeing which direction this conversation was going.

"So what? We've had our ups and downs, but we're in love, and we're getting married this weekend! And it's not like she even sees Vegeta in that way! Bulma would never choose him over me!"

Goku sighed softly, realizing that Yamcha was unwilling to be receptive of his words. "All I'm saying is that her ties with Vegeta run deeper than you think. And Vegeta's ties with her are just as strong. _He let you live_, Yamcha, and _that_ should be a red flag to you. You know what I'm saying is true. Mess up this badly again, for whatever reason, and Vegeta just might kill you this time."

Yamcha scoffed. "He wouldn't dare. Bulma would stop him. She loves _me_, not him. Vegeta _can't_ and _won't_ kill me. After all, it's just like you said…he doesn't want to hurt her." he ended in a mocking tone.

Goku's expression turned serious, alarmed at how much Yamcha was taking Bulma for granted, and how oblivious he was to the dynamics that existed between her and Vegeta. The impression Goku got from his words was that Yamcha would continue to say and do whatever he wanted when it came to the prince, and he thought he would get away with it because as long as he had Bulma, he was immune. It was a grave error on Yamcha's part….especially since he had been on the receiving end tonight of making such a mistake. Goku was sure by now that Yamcha had given Bulma that bruise on her arm, and that Vegeta had seemed to retaliate. It may have not been the _complete_ reason he beat Yamcha to a bloody pulp, but going by Bulma's lack of reaction to Yamcha's condition, and apparent acceptance of Vegeta's actions, Yamcha was already in a bad position.

Goku's demeanor darkened, no longer willing to tolerate Yamcha's ignorance and underlying disrespect for his prince and his blue-haired best friend. Yamcha didn't seem to be respecting him or his advice and wisdom either. The normally gentle, friendly Saiyan felt the flicker of his race's infamous temper course through him for a moment. "You better hope you don't burn your bridge with Bulma. If you catch her on a bad day…beware. If she gives him the word, Vegeta will happily comply and kill you without remorse. Her temper is as bad as Vegeta's, and she's got her limits also. Even with _you_."

Yamcha took a step back from Goku, eyeing him with trepidation. This wasn't the Goku that he knew. What was going on? What was he missing here? He looked like….well, like Vegeta. That same dark glint in his eyes, the same stern look on his face, the same sort of aggressive stance. Yamcha then noticed Goku's tail flickering back and forth in irritation. Sometimes he forgot that Goku was a Saiyan. For some reason, Yamcha looked up in the sky, and noticed that the moon was almost full. In a few days it would be entirely full, and something important pressed in the back of his mind. Something about Saiyans and how the moon sometimes affected them. He remembered vaguely that it made them more aggressive and temperamental. Yamcha wondered to himself if _that_ was what got into Vegeta tonight, and now Goku.

Yamcha wisely took a couple more steps backwards, subtly backing away from his friend. "Chill Goku." he said, trying to keep his voice from wavering. "I think it's time for me to go. It's been a long night. Thanks for your help." Yamcha cut things short, not wanting to get into an argument with Goku, as he watched his friend visibly calm down.

Goku nodded, a frown still evident on his face. He wasn't sure what had just gotten into him. He felt bad for snapping at Yamcha and saying what he said…it just wasn't like him. He had no time to apologize as Yamcha left things at that, turning away from Goku and blasting off into the night sky.

Yamcha flew back to his apartment as quickly as he could. He couldn't wait until he put this night behind him.

* * *

Bulma pulled her forehead away from the door, sighing deeply, not wanting to think of anything else that night.

She didn't want to think about her upcoming wedding by the end of this week.

She didn't want to think about the widening divide between her and Yamcha that now painfully and obviously existed.

She didn't want to think about the stupid, disrespectful, horrible, lethal words he had said to Vegeta.

She didn't want to think about how she couldn't blame Vegeta for kicking his ass, because deep inside, she felt that Yamcha deserved it.

She didn't want to think about how instead of worrying or caring about what happened to her fiancée, that her concern and focus was on Vegeta.

She didn't want to think about the terrible, overwhelming, sinking feeling of heartache and loss when she thought Yamcha blew a hole through clear through Vegeta's chest.

She didn't want to think about Vegeta's strong, steady heartbeat beneath her palm, or the comforting, enveloping warmth she felt when she touched him.

She didn't want to think about the affectionate way he seemed to touch her bruising arm.

She didn't want to think about their tender moment together; a moment so rare between them, when their walls were down for just a moment as they showed how much they really cared for each other.

She didn't want to think about how she should have just gone with Vegeta when he asked, if only to get away from Earth and her problems for at least the night.

She didn't want to think about how it was only an excuse, and she really just wanted to be with him, more than she cared to admit.

Bulma miserably groaned in frustration, bringing a hand to her head and running it through her hair in exasperation. Damn it, she was completely failing in _NOT_ thinking about all of this!

Grumbling in annoyance and weariness, Bulma went into the kitchen to set the coffee pot. The only way she was _ever_ going to get her mind to stop drowning her with these overwhelming thoughts was to stay awake and focus on work. The last thing she wanted to do was go to sleep. Everything was still too fresh in her mind, and her stress-level was at an all-time high. She was positive that going to bed now would only result in bad dreams, nightmares, and absolutely no rest at all. She poured the water into the machine, watching as the coffee began to drip into the waiting pot below. The only thing she knew that would clear her mind and distract her heart was to go down to her lab and work on something, _anything_. She was sure that her thoughts would shift from the tribulations within her soul, to something more tangible, like figuring out new equations and formulas within quantum physics and theory for more precise compression of matter and particles, and manipulation of energy and gravity.

Gravity.

Vegeta.

She needed to fix his gravity room. Earlier she had told him off, and refused to fix it. He threatened to find someone else to replace her. Her mother's words rang in her mind again. They were always arguing but quickly forgetting about it. No lasting anger, no lasting hurt, no intentional pain. She was right, they were always bending for each other. She would keep her word, and fix it tomorrow. She hoped it wasn't as badly damaged as he had told her it was. She was sure she could repair whatever damage he had caused. There wasn't anything she couldn't fix! Now she wished even more so that she had gone to Vegetasei with him tonight. She would have been able to not only keep her mind busy by fixing his machine, but also doing what he had rather patiently been waiting for her to do.

Vegeta showed so much patience with her, when it really came down to it. It was flattering, really. She wasn't sure anyone else could push Vegeta's buttons the way she could, except for Yamcha. Then again she would never say such atrocious things to Vegeta like that. She had a knack for pissing Vegeta off, but he never put a hand against her in violence. If she ever got him enraged enough, he would just fly off somewhere to cool down. Unlike Yamcha, who didn't know when to walk away from a fight, and apparently was starting to get rough, she inwardly admitted, glancing at her bruising arm. But Yamcha paid for his stupidity tonight in more way than one. And how did she respond to the results of their fight? She was numb and distant to her dying fiancée, and inexplicably drawn to the Saiyan prince.

_No_ thinking of Vegeta, damn it! Or of Yamcha! Or of _anything_ having to do with either one of them right now! Continuing to scold herself, Bulma poured herself a big mug of the freshly brewed coffee. She added three sugars and two creams, her favorite way to make her coffee. She turned and leaned up against the counter, and began to sip on it as her gaze landed on the holes in her kitchen walls again.

Vegeta.

Why the hell had he torn the phone away from the wall and thrown it into the other, causing this damage? It must have been after she had left the kitchen and before Yamcha had shown up. She glared at the holes, as if she was blaming them for something. After all, it had delayed her in calling Goku. If the fight outside had gone on any longer, Vegeta might not have been able to stop his assaults.

Ugh, there she went, thinking of Vegeta again.

Bulma frowned, quickly departing from the kitchen, making her way through her home until she reached her lab. She punched in her security code, watching as the little red light blinked from red to green. She smirked. She had lost count on how many times she had to replace the number pad and rewire the security system. She reasoned that if Vegeta could fly away from her when he was angry, then she should be able to have an escape away from him also. It was only fair! It wasn't like she could fly away like he could. Vegeta had no patience to enter in a code during those times. He would either punch the keypad and break it, or tear the door off its hinges, when she was mad at him and would lock herself in there to get away from him. He'd confront her and she'd yell at him for damaging her lab door, and they'd hash out whatever else their argument was about at the time.

Goddamn it, she needed to stop thinking about him.

Bulma entered her lab and shut the door, heading over to her large desk and placing her coffee mug down on it. She looked around at the haphazard laboratory. Half-completed projects laid strewn all over the place, un-filed and disorganized paperwork, consisting of schematics, blueprints, notes, and reports lined the gaps between her still-pending projects, and oil and grease stains added the final touches to the room. It was an organized chaos, she told herself, since she pretty much knew where everything was. Vegeta would sometimes come down into her lab and pester her while she was working, and always griped at her about the condition she kept her lab in, to which she would bark at him to stop touching her stuff when his OCD-ness kicked in and he tried to reorganize things in there.

Kami, why did all of her thoughts tonight have to lead to him?!

She shook her head, reprimanding herself for thinking about Vegeta again, as she walked over to her computer and pressed a key, waking the computer up. A screensaver popped up of her and Yamcha, and she immediately frowned, scowling a bit at it. The big jerk, ignoring her and leaving her alone all day to deal with their wedding crap, then not leaving when she told him to! Served him right, he should have left when she said! He only ended up getting into a fight with Vegeta and don't even get her _started_ on the horrible things he had said to him! Served him right that he got his ass handed to him!

Bulma snarled slightly in frustration, jiggling the mouse to clear the screensaver. She didn't want to think about Yamcha at all. He was something she was going to have to deal with tomorrow. Preferably after a good night's sleep. She reached over and drank from her mug again, as she opened up a program and began to work on her unfinished abstract mathematical formulas and calculations for an uncompleted project. She quickly glanced over the complex numbers and symbols in her equations, trying to recall where she had left off. Ah yes, the intricate formula for isolating gravity into a condensed area of effect, limited to only the wearer. As she looked the screen over, she mindlessly opened up a drawer in her desk, and pulled out the prototype to said project.

A special device, that looked more like a bracelet, that served as a portable gravity simulator. She was trying to design it so that only the wearer would feel the pull of the gravity on them, but still walk around without anyone else being affected by it. It was something she tried to work on whenever she had the chance. She knew Vegeta would like it, since it would enable him to no longer be confined to a gravity room, and he could train anywhere he pleased, or at least become so accustomed to a particular level of gravity that he would not even realize it was on.

She still had to figure out how to get it to reflect and amplify the effects of gravity in high amounts. Vegeta was already training at near 400x gravity, and she wasn't sure she could get such a tiny device to be as powerful as the gravity rooms she built. She was hoping to have a working prototype ready for him to test out by his birthday, but the way things were going lately, it wasn't looking like it was going to be possible. Bulma was just glad she hadn't mentioned this project yet, otherwise he'd be demanding she make more progress with it.

Besides, she wanted to surprise him.

She then caught herself thinking of Vegeta again, and she sighed heavily. She stared numbly at her computer screen for a moment. Almost everything in her life revolved around Vegeta in some way or form. She placed his incomplete prototype on the desk, and looked over, seeing her beautiful, polished gem nearby. He had given it to her a couple of years ago, and she smiled, remembering. Vegeta had been due to be Earthbound for at least a year and stay with her and her parents on Capsule Corp. He had just finished a long journey around most of his galaxy, and when he arrived on Earth, she had been happy to see him. It had been a year since she last had, and was surprised when later on that day he placed the gem in front of her.

He remembered.

Those couple of years before she had left Vegetasei to go back to Earth, she had asked Vegeta to bring her some sort of souvenir from his upcoming travels around space, since she couldn't go with him. He had rolled his eyes, telling her he was traveling for business and the expansion of his empire and _not_ for fun. He had told her he didn't have time to waste on trying to find something that she probably wouldn't like. But, he had taken the time at one point to acquire this gem, which was as blue as her very own hair and eyes. At the time she thought it was pretty, and didn't think about the significance of him bringing her such a rare gem from the outer reaches of space….but now, she gently picked it up and looked at it for the thousandth time.

Somehow when she looked at it, she saw things differently this time. She saw that almost everything in Vegeta's life revolved around her in some way or form also. Even when they didn't _have_ to be around each other, they still sought each other out. Even when they _couldn't_ be around each other, they still thought of the other. She managed a rather difficult swallow, feeling the faint flutter of butterflies in her stomach.

Bulma gently placed the gem down next to the gravity-bracelet she was building for him. She studied the items for a moment. Vegeta gave her a rare gem, and now she was giving him a rare bracelet. She shook her head, knowing that gems and jewelry were tokens of love and affection. She paused in contemplation…the thought should have disturbed her. 'What's next, we go on a date?' she mentally joked to herself, as Bulma crossed her forearms on top of her desk and rested her head on them. She huffed, gently blowing her bangs away from her eyes as she turned her head sideways, looking thoughtfully at the items.

This time, the idea didn't bother her.

* * *

Gosh, writer's block is a bitch. I hope I did an okay job on this chapter. I really hope you liked it. I really tried my hardest on it, all things considering. Please let me know what you thought of it!

Oh, and the title for this chapter was very special to me. It represents not only the physical distance between Vegeta and Bulma, but also the separation that is closing in within their hearts and minds. The title also represents the emotional distance between Bulma and Yamcha.

Thank you for continuing to read this story, and I hope I have still kept you interested. I already have the outline done for chapter 8, and I will tease you with this….it's time to head to Vegetasei! Let's just hope my writer's block doesn't come with us!


	8. Cover Story

Yes! An update, FINALLY!

I know most of you are probably unhappy with how long this chapter took, and I'm sorry. I was still suffering from writer's block the past 2 weeks, and it was horrible trying to work past it. Add long work weeks, my hubby and kids being sick with a cold during this past Labor Day weekend, and the pressure of not having an update for two weeks…and you've got one stressed out author. Luckily I managed to escape catching the cold mostly untouched, but I was feeling abnormally tired this whole past week also.

To those of you still following this story and reading it, thank you, thank you, thank you! I mean it with all my heart. Sticking with me during my slow updates while I work on my writer's block really means a lot to me. I feel so bad about not being able to write lately, and for keeping all of you waiting for updates. I hope you understand, and that I won't lose too many of you with this new chapter.

To all the new readers and followers, thanks for giving me a chance. I'm happy to see that you're enjoying the story so far!

This chapter is longer than the last. I actually was very unhappy with this chapter at first, and scrapped it twice and had to start over, because it was just CRAP. I re-read my story a few times, trying searching for that direction and motivation….trying to feel that inspiration again. I decided that I needed to focus on one of the reasons we're all here for, and why we're reading this fan fiction….because of Vegeta! We all love him, and I figured having a chapter that revolves around him would be something everyone would like, and that I could definitely get into.

Just like the last chapter, I don't consider this one fluff, but it might seem that way. For all I know, maybe it is fluff. So, here it is, my wonderful readers…chapter 8! I hope you all enjoy it!

A/N: Remember, this is an AU. Half the reason I scrapped the first two drafts of this chapter was because I was doing _too_ much explaining, and not focusing on the main storyline/character. All I want for you to keep in mind is that the Saiyans are still a strong, pride-filled warrior race, but when it comes to Bulma they show a _different_ side…after all, she's been around them since she was a baby, and they are quite fond of her. Some Saiyan behavior in my story might seem ooc, but considering they did not suffer under Frieza's rule, this is how I like to think they would be. All I ask is that you try to go with it.

Second A/N: I don't own Dragonball Z, nor do I claim to. By the way, my birthday is coming up in 2 months. I want pajama shirt with Vegeta on it, so I can sleep with him at night. Think that is too much to ask for?

* * *

**Chapter 8- Cover Story**

Vegeta arrived on his home planet instantly, appearing right in front of his younger brother. Since Goku was staying back on Earth, he didn't have his ki to focus on. He had to choose between his brother's, his father's, or his mother's. _And no way in hell _was he picking his parents.

"Brother!" Tarble exclaimed, somewhat startled at seeing Vegeta appear out of thin air in front of him. Even after these past few months, he wasn't sure he could ever get used to it.

Vegeta chuckled slightly. "Did I scare you?" he said, amused at any opportunity to faze his younger sibling as he sensed his ki spike up momentarily in surprise.

"No! You just startled me. " the youngest prince declared, quickly ignoring Vegeta's teasing as he looked at him. "Where have you _been_ all day?!" he stressed.

"Tch." Vegeta scoffed. "I don't need to answer to you." he said, walking past Tarble, further into their luxurious shared quarters of the palace. Their common room was beautiful, completely befitting of the royal brothers. The room was colored in rich reds, dark browns, and charcoal grays, highlighted with gold and silver accents. Their large fireplace burned quietly, bathing the room in warm light and comfort. The royal seal of Vegetasei was draped above each of the doors heading to their individual chambers. Silken, crimson-dyed drapes hung over their large windows and balcony doors, which in the daylight beheld the sight of a beautiful red planet, with large, turbulent oceans and a vast, never-ending red sky that held twin suns in its grasp. Earth was a beautiful planet in its own right, but he would always prefer his red planet to the woman's blue one.

"Is that so? Then I suppose you can answer to father and mother then, without me to cover for you." Tarble said very matter-of-factly.

Vegeta frowned at hearing his brother's words. "As if I need you to." he said, crossing his arms in front of him, surveying the area.

It had taken all but one second for Tarble to see the condition his older brother was in. Vegeta's clothes were bloody, and there was dirt and blood pretty much all over him, most notably on his face, his hands, and his forearms. It was obvious that Vegeta had been in a fight with someone, and that someone _hadn't been _on Vegetasei, since word quickly spread that their eldest prince was nowhere to be found again. Tarble hoped his brother's most recent altercation hadn't been with a foreign dignitary from another planet. The last conference Vegeta had been in had not gone very well, and the dark prince had threatened to blast the head off of the leader if he _as so much_ let his ambassador talk down to their mother again in front of him. Insulting the queen would be one mistake that ambassador would not make again. "You don't _need_ me to, but it helps sometimes. Particularly right now."

Vegeta turned around to face him, considering Tarble's words for a brief moment. "So they're _that_ pissed?" he asked, uncrossing his arms as he rolled his right shoulder around, trying to work out a kink in it. Probably from the repetitive punching he did. He probably should have warmed up first before kicking Yamcha's ass. The fleeting thought brought a smirk to his lips.

Tarble nodded, beginning to eye his brother somewhat suspiciously. "They're not happy with your disappearance off-planet _again_."

"They wouldn't be, would they?" Vegeta shrugged off, as he rolled his neck a couple of times, stretching out the muscles. He hadn't realized how tense he was during the fight. Vegeta swung his tail back and forth lazily. "They'll get over it." He tried to pay no further mind to the issue as he stopped his stretching and looked at the room, trying to decide on either getting a snack to eat, or taking a shower. Both options were equally enticing.

Tarble watched as his brother contemplated something. What it was, he couldn't tell. He read his tail…it seemed Vegeta was relaxed and borderline content. A very odd mood for his brother indeed, especially if he had just been in a fight. Not to mention his mood was rather calm, considering it was the ump-teenth time Vegeta had skipped out on intergalactic conferences and meetings to help draw up treaties and diplomatic policies with leaders of numerous planets throughout their galaxy and the next. Half the time it was stressful having Vegeta there, but he needed to be there nonetheless, much to the dismay of their parents, who half the time weren't sure if they should just let his older brother be, or force him to be more involved with the development and further expansion of their empire. Either way, Vegeta knew there would be repercussions for his constant absences, and that knowledge didn't seem to faze him at all.

Tarble brought his hand to his face, sliding it downwards in an act of disbelief. He looked at Vegeta, trying to stress the gravity of the situation. "_Get over it_? I don't know if they will. They were very irritated today, especially when Goku wasn't around to find you, and even more so when Nappa and Raditz didn't know where you took off to either."

Vegeta smirked, imagining how frustrated his parents must have been and how insulted the foreign leaders and their parties must have been when he, the crown prince and heir to the Saiyan empire, decided not to show up again today. Either that, or they were secretly glad, considering his reputation for being easily angered and uncompromising on certain issues. Vegeta's smirk turned into a feral grin…he was sure he probably got his bodyguards in big trouble again also. "Yes, well we'll find out soon enough. I'm sure father has sensed that I'm back home. If he's that pissed, he'll send for me."

Tarble wasn't sure what was going on with Vegeta. He seemed eerily calm and relaxed, and it unnerved him. It wasn't like his brother to not take his role and place in their empire seriously, and at the moment it just seemed that being reprimanded and possibly grounded on Vegetasei wasn't fazing him. He wasn't going to tell Vegeta that he seemed to be slacking off on his duties, but lately, it seemed as though that was exactly what was going on. Something else was preoccupying Vegeta's interests, and where his big brother was disappearing off to was a mystery to almost everyone. Even Goku managed to be tight-lipped about Vegeta's whereabouts, and that was a feat in and of itself.

"Where were you today?" Tarble asked genuinely, wanting to know who, what, or where was keeping him away from Vegetasei all the time.

"Where do you think I was?" Vegeta rolled his eyes slightly, wondering why his sibling always wanted to know where he was and what he was doing. He gave Tarble a challenging look, waiting to hear what absurd ideas he could come up with.

Tarble studied his brother for a moment, deciding to take a not-so-crazy long-shot as to where his brother was. "With Bulma?" he said, shrugging slightly, having a big clue.

Vegeta frowned, a serious look crossing his face as he looked at his younger brother sternly. "I was training."

Tarble gave his brother a smug look. "Where?"

"What does it matter?!" Vegeta said a little too defensively, as his tail snapped a few times in irritation.

Tarble smirked. He had struck a nerve! There must have been some truth to what he had said. Oh, this was going to be good. "You were on Earth, weren't you?!"

"My whereabouts do not concern you."

"You give yourself away, brother!" Tarble teased. "I hope you can hide it better from father and mother when they interrogate you."

"Why you little brat!" Vegeta growled slightly. "I was training in the gravity chamber there, because I broke the one here!"

Tarble quirked an eyebrow, the ghost of a smile on his lips. "Ah, so you _were_ training on Earth! And I'm sure spending time with Bulma was just an added bonus."

"I didn't spend any time with her. I was there to train." Vegeta said sternly. _It's true_, he insisted to himself, _I didn't spend time with her_. He barely even saw Bulma today, _just_ in the morning when he woke her up, _and_ after lunch when she took a break and he came in to see why her ki was all frazzled. He saw her _briefly_ again at dinner before she got pissed at him, and then _after_ his fight with Yamcha. Well, maybe he did see her today, more than he had originally thought. They were both bound to their respective planets at the moment, and they were both always so busy! The only time he got to spend time with the woman lately, _if any_, was when he went to Earth to bug her about fixing something.

But everyday? For the past few weeks? What excuse did he have when he had nothing for her to repair? He still found himself going to Earth. Was it only to escape the doldrums of politics and business, or because he was _wanting_ to spend time with her? Did he actually miss her?

And with time running out before she bound herself to the weakling, Vegeta was being forced to face this unnamable tug-of-war within himself when it came to the blue-haired human. He suspected he was attached to her, and that the time he spent around her could be justified…but no, it wasn't simply just attachment. It was something more. He could feel it in his stomach, and in his chest, and around his heart, as it kept pawing and clawing to come out.

Did he love Bulma?

Before Vegeta could entertain the idea any further, his brother jolted him out of his very disturbed thoughts. "And how about all these other times, when your gravity room was working here just fine, and you were gone all day?"

"Tarble…" Vegeta warned sternly. He couldn't believe Tarble was bordering on the very thoughts that had just ran though his head. Was he was reading his mind?

"And you've been staying overnight on Earth too, huh?! I'm sure Bulma's been happy about that." Tarble couldn't help but smile. Normally he would know when to let up off his big brother, but he saw the tinge of a blush on Vegeta's cheeks. He also noticed Vegeta's tail was no longer lashing out in anger or irritation, but instead tightly curled around his waist in defense, so he knew there was some sort of truth to his teasing. It was rare indeed when he was able to have an upper hand on Vegeta. "And here father and mother, and most of us thought you were off disappearing to other planets, terrorizing foreign leaders, or training with other races, or in utter isolation. I'm sure they'll be relieved to know you've been spending your time with much more favorable company."

Vegeta brought a hand up to his face and pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes in momentary irritation. "You don't know what you're talking about, Tarble. Enough of this foolishness. I swear to the Kai's, I will strangle you if you keep this up."

"Okay, okay.." Tarble snickered, throwing his hands up slightly to show Vegeta that he was going to drop the subject. He watched as Vegeta gave him one last warning glare. Tarble decided to get serious again for a moment, observing his brother's condition. "So.." he trailed off, gesturing at Vegeta's attire, "…are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Vegeta responded rather grumpily, still trying to decide on whether he wanted a snack, or to go take a shower. He looked over to what could be considered their kitchen area. Bulma had constructed an absurdly large refrigerator for them to hold enough food that could feed a family of four for weeks. Between himself and his little brother, they could eat the entire contents of that fridge in a week, especially when that food was Bunny's. Bulma had also constructed two large ovens that were pre-programmed at the push of a button to activate bots to cook Vegeta and Tarble whatever they wished to eat. It was extremely convenient, what with their hectic schedules and all. The times they ate were usually the times the palace kitchen was closing down for maintenance and repairs. Feeding the royal militia constantly put a strain on the machinery there, and Bulma wanted to make sure the brothers could eat at their convenience. She had even programmed the bots to clean the dishes and the kitchen area so that they wouldn't have to. She also made sure they had more than adequate table space to accommodate the large amounts of food for them.

Vegeta inwardly sighed, thinking of Bulma again for the hundredth time as he stood. The damned woman would just not escape his mind. Speaking of, he looked down at his dirty clothes he was still wearing. He was not against wearing them for a little longer, feeling as though his clothes were somehow a bloody trophy showing his conquest…but at the same time, it was the weakling's blood, and he didn't want to start stinking of him. He decided a shower would be the best option. He also reasoned that if anyone else in the palace saw him, it would only lead to _more _questions and speculations about his whereabouts.

"Are you hurt?" Tarble asked, seeing his brother quiet, as though he was thinking of something.

"Does it look like I'm hurt?" Vegeta grumbled.

Tarble took a moment to study him. His clothes were dirty and blood-soaked, but it didn't seem like he was bleeding or wounded at all. Then again, it could have very well been his own blood, if he had healed up with a senzu bean. "Well, yes… it looks like it." he admitted.

Vegeta scoffed. "Well I'm not hurt. I don't have a scratch on me."

Tarble walked over closer to Vegeta, studying him. Well then, maybe he _wasn't_ training all day like he said he had been. And chances are he wouldn't be spending time with Bulma looking like _that_. "But if it's not _your_ blood, then who's is it?"

Vegeta smiled wickedly at his little brother. "You sure you want to know? It might make your sensitive little stomach sick." he stifled a chuckle, seeing Tarble's face go from concern over him to uneasiness at his statement.

Tarble knew Vegeta was probably just playing with him, but his curiosity got the best of him. If Vegeta really was on Earth that day, then that meant it had to be an Earthling's blood on him. He managed a difficult swallow. He wasn't sure he wanted to know, but it was too late now. He couldn't back down from his brother's challenge. "Who's is it?"

Vegeta smirked, walking away from Tarble, starting to head to his own personal chambers. "It doesn't matter."

Tarble's eyes grew big for a moment, not sure if he really heard what he just heard. "What?!" he exclaimed, hurrying over to his brother and getting in front of him, half concerned and half intrigued. "What do you mean it doesn't matter?!" It wasn't like his brother to hide something like this, even from him.

Vegeta perked up an eyebrow, amused at his siblings' reaction, quite pleased with himself. "Because it doesn't, Tarble. I have dealt with him, and he has paid for his insolence and stupidity."

"You killed someone?! On Earth?! Does Bulma know?!" Tarble rambled in awe and shock.

"No…." Vegeta grit out, his voice laced with bitterness, "…I didn't kill anyone. I _almost_ did. I probably should have. And yes, she knows." he finished with a resounding sigh. He was horribly tired, and past the point of exhaustion. He knew he told his little brother too much.

"What happened?!" Tarble said, many thoughts running through his mind. Why didn't Vegeta want to tell him who he almost killed? Was it someone they knew? It had to be! And since when did he restrain himself from killing someone?! And how did Bulma know? Was she involved? Did someone try to hurt her? Tarble thought that might be a reason his brother would beat someone up. But there was so much blood on him….and whoever it was, was still _alive_?! Whatever happened on Earth, it must have been bad.

Vegeta saw all those unanswered questions in Tarble's eyes. He saw the plea in them, and he wasn't about to humor him. After all, he didn't want word getting around that he almost killed Bulma's intended. It was bad enough that there was already buzzing speculation on Vegetasei that he cared for the beautiful, blue-haired, genius human woman, and that maybe he was jealous of her soon-to-be husband. Vegeta didn't want to add more fuel to that fire.

"Drop the subject." Vegeta warned his little brother seriously this time, pointing a finger at him. "I don't want you telling _anyone_ about me showing up here all bloodied. Or that it's a _human's_ blood. Or that I _almost killed _a human. Or that I was even on _Earth_ today!"

"But…" Tarble began, wanting to tell him something important, and then saw the cold glare from his older sibling. Vegeta was not playing around. Damn. "Fine." Tarble glared back at him. "You better have a good excuse for father and mother then, since you've sworn me to silence."

Vegeta was about to respond, when suddenly his demeanor darkened, and he visibly tensed. Tarble was about to ask him what was the matter, when a few moments later a loud knock was heard on the large double doors that led to their royal quarters. Vegeta's tail frizzed out in irritation as he wrapped it back around his waist, cursing under his breath.

He guessed his father really was pissed, if he had sent _them_ to fetch him.

* * *

Vegeta didn't need to see who it was. He knew their energy signals. He stood unyielding, as a second, more forceful pounding was at their door. Tarble looked at his brother hesitantly, knowing who ever it was, they were there for Vegeta. They didn't have a game plan! Despite what Vegeta said, Tarble knew they needed one. Vegeta gave him a curt nod, encouraging him to go see who was at their door.

Tarble took a deep breath and let it out, walking over to the large double doors, opening them up enough to see who it was. The young prince saw the two large, burly Saiyans, and was inwardly relieved. Things must not have been that bad if father was sending _them_ instead of a few choice others. Tarble glanced past them, seeing no one else with them, except for the royal palace guards lined up in crisp formation at their designated stations throughout their hallway, standing guard, ready to come to the defense and lay down their lives for the royal family.

"Prince Tarble." they said unanimously, bowing down to the youngest prince. "Is Prince Vegeta here?"

Tarble sighed, opening the doors a little wider, so they could see inside their quarters. "Father sent you?" he asked, watching them as they looked inside, their eyes landing on Vegeta, who was standing there looking a bloody mess. With his signature arms crossed over his chest, he was looking quite displeased and irritated as they silently analyzed his appearance.

The duo nodded, and Tarble stepped aside, getting out of the way as Nappa and Raditz stood firm in the doorway against Vegeta's unsettling gaze.

"Your highness, your parents wish to see you." Raditz said rather seriously.

"Is that so?" Vegeta quirked, showing that he wasn't going to budge an inch.

"Yes, Prince. You have been _summoned_ to the royal quarter. Your father says _immediately_." Nappa said with authority, his voiced lightly laced with concern.

Vegeta scoffed. "They can wait. I need a shower first." Vegeta said, motioning with his head for his bodyguards to enter their quarters, and motioning for Tarble to close their doors. As soon as the doors were closed, and outside eyes and ears were no longer prying, Vegeta looked at Nappa and Raditz with one of those looks. A look that said he already knew what they were going to ask him about.

Nappa and Raditz relaxed their serious and professional demeanor once they were out of the view of the other guards, quickly discarding it and replacing it with irritation, curiosity, and a heightened sense of urgency. "Vegeta! Where the hell have you been?!" Nappa chastised, forgetting the formalities now that outside ears could not hear them. Hell, he practically helped raise him since he was a cub! Nappa's ties with the royal family ran deep, and he, along with very few others, could address Vegeta so casually.

Vegeta stayed silent for a moment, observing his bodyguards. Oh, they were irritated all right, as he watched their tails lash back and forth, the fur on them fuzzed up. "It's none of your business where I've been." he clipped.

"Like hell it isn't!" Raditz growled slightly. "We're your bodyguards! It's our duty to know your whereabouts and be with you at all times and protect you!"

"We've spent all day looking for you, Vegeta" Nappa said calmly, running his large hand over his bald head. "Do you know how much shit we got from your parents over you being gone from our sight again?!"

Vegeta scowled. "I'm not some cub that needs constant supervision! I will not be tied down by an invisible leash!"

"Vegeta, don't take it that way! You're the heir to our empire! You're our crown prince. There are many out there would not hesitate to try and kill you!" Nappa said, his voice laced with concern for the still wild, untamable prince.

"Tch." Vegeta ground out. "I'm the strongest being in the universe, no one would be stupid enough to challenge me, or dare think they have the strength to kill me." He then thought about the irony of his words, since Yamcha had done exactly that. He reasoned that scar-face didn't count.

"That's not the point, Vegeta!" Raditz said, throwing his arms up in the air in exasperation. "Our job is to guard you and protect you! How can we do that when you teleport off to who knows where, whenever you want, for however long you want?!"

"As if I _need_ either one of you to protect me!" the prince sneered. "I'm stronger than the both of you combined! You're not protecting me, you're babysitting me!"

"You're impossible!" Raditz griped, pacing around in frustration.

"Well maybe if the both of you learned Instant Transmission, then maybe you could do your 'jobs' correctly." Vegeta smirked.

"I swear, Vegeta…" Raditz began, until Nappa placed his strong hand on his shoulder, trying to calm down him down.

"Easy, Raditz." Nappa soothed, as the older Saiyan tried to calm him. He couldn't blame Raditz for how he felt. It must have been genetics, Nappa reasoned. Both Raditz and Kakarot showed exemplary strength and battle prowess, even though they were born as third-class. They both were strong enough to be promoted to the rank of Elites. Raditz, much like his younger brother, showed a well above-average protective trait. Even Gohan, who himself was a hybrid, held this same guardian trait. It was what made Raditz and Kakarot so overly-protective of Vegeta and the royal family, as well as over their own families, and close kin. This trait made them perfect bodyguards, and even though Kakarot was not officially Vegeta's bodyguard, he inherently was, since both Vegeta and Kakarot were dually rivals and best friends.

Raditz huffed, crossing his arms across his broad chest as he wrapped his tail back around his waist, deciding to listen to the older and wiser Saiyan. Nappa held the hint of a smile on his lips. He wasn't sure how Kakarot and Gohan came out so mild-mannered, perhaps because Raditz had taken all of the feistiness and temperament for himself. He decided to change the sore subject. All that mattered was that Vegeta was back home, safe and under the protection of the Saiyan militia.

"Now, Vegeta…" Nappa began, turning back to the prince, "...where were you today?"

"I told you, it's none of your business." Vegeta said sternly, earning a displeased look from his mentor.

"Fine. Since _you_ won't tell us…" Nappa said, turning his attention suddenly to Tarble, "…then _he_ will. Tarble, where was he at today?"

"What?!" Tarble blurted out, caught off guard by the question and their intense looks. Since when was he dragged into this?! "Oh no you don't! Leave me out of this!" Tarble said, as the young teenage prince began to walk into their common room, furthering himself away from them .

"You know where he was, don't you?" Raditz realized, beginning to following behind Tarble "Tell us!"

"Don't you dare say a word!" Vegeta barked a warning to his little brother, as he walked over and stood in front of Raditz, effectively stopping him from trying to get Tarble to spill the beans. "I was busy today." Vegeta decided to give them that. It wasn't much, but it was more than they were getting from him a few moments ago.

"Apparently." Raditz mumbled, since they had both seen Vegeta's clothing was dirty and full of blood while they had stood earlier in the doorway. He backed off from trying to get Tarble, and took a step back, eyeing the older prince with a critical eye. "Are you wounded?"

Vegeta scoffed, rolling his eyes. All this concern over him was making him sick. "Does it look like I am?"

"Yes." Nappa answered bluntly, walking up to him. "If you're injured, Vegeta, you should get to the medical bay and into a rejuvenation tank right now."

"He's not hurt." Tarble said, earning a cold glare from his older brother. Well, that's what Vegeta got for not having a cover!

"Then why are your covered in blood? Were you in a fight?" Nappa asked, seeing the prince's bare chest through a burnt hole in his shirt. Vegeta looked like he had been in a brawl, and he wondered _who_ would have been stupid enough to think they could go head to head with Vegeta. Probably someone who no longer lived, by the looks of it.

"A fight? Hardly." Vegeta scoffed, brushing the concern away. He saw the look in his bodyguards' eyes, and knew that they were demanding an answer. After all, it wasn't like he showed up out of the blue all the time covered in blood, unless he had caused the damage to himself. He read the flicker of thoughts in their eyes, and he sighed in weariness and frustration. "I'm not injured. It's not _my_ blood." Vegeta emphasized, quickly dismissing them as he began to head to his personal chambers. Baited with this tidbit of information, all three of them followed behind Vegeta, their tails curling and uncurling behind them in unabashed curiosity.

"If that's not _yours_, then who's is it?" Nappa asked, his voice laced with some sort of concern. He wasn't sure what to expect when it came to the eldest Saiyan prince. Nappa was torn between knowing that he and Raditz weren't there for Vegeta if he was in in danger or in need of them, or if they missed out on something else entirely.

"I must say, I'm eager to know _who_ or _what_ has kept you so busy all day." Raditz spat, still irritated that Vegeta was being elusive about his whereabouts for that day. Then again, it meant the prince was hiding something, and for now, that was going to trump his annoyance towards him.

Vegeta rolled his eyes at his bodyguards. Did they really think he would give in so easily? He looked over into his younger siblings' eyes, and saw that Tarble was also eagerly awaiting any more information on who this mystery Earthlings' blood was that currently covered him. "Does it really matter?"

All three Saiyans looked at Vegeta incredulously. _Of course _it mattered! The fact that Vegeta was not outright _boasting_ about whose blood it was made it _that_ much more intriguing!

"_Now_ it does." Nappa stated, very curious to now know what had happened while Vegeta was away. "Who's blood is it, Vegeta?"

"It doesn't matter!"

"Obviously it does!" Raditz chimed in. "Why aren't you telling us?"

"Why should I?"

"Did you kill someone, Vegeta?" Nappa asked.

"No!"

"You did, didn't you? Why else would you have so much blood on you." Raditz said.

"He didn't kill anyone!" Tarble put his two cents in.

"Shut up, Tarble!" Vegeta barked.

"Who's is it?" Raditz asked the youngest prince again.

"I don't know, he wouldn't tell me." the youngest prince began.

"Enough!" Vegeta barked. "I don't have time for this!"

"C'mon Vegeta, just tell us!" Raditz persisted, as the three of them reached the outside of Vegeta's chambers.

"You're not going to leave me alone until I tell you, are you?" Vegeta grumbled. He looked at his bodyguards and his brother, and saw their tails swishing back and forth in curiosity and anticipation. He sighed in frustration, bringing his hands to his eyes, rubbing them downward over his face. "I'm not going to tell you." Vegeta said tiredly, wanting to shower and then get reprimanded by his parents. He'd prefer that right now, instead of having Tarble, Nappa, and Raditz up in a frenzy if they knew what had happened that night. Unfortunately, luck was not on his side tonight, as both Raditz and Nappa's scouters flashed and beeped.

Vegeta's demeanor darkened, as he already knew what they were being contacted for. They all looked at each other for a moment. Reality hit them again, as Nappa reluctantly reached up, pressing a button on his scouter to answer the call. "Yes, Sire?….He is here, in his quarters….Right away, your Majesty."

They could hear a loud, gruff voice on the other end. It was the King. They couldn't decipher what he was saying as Nappa answered him, but his tone was loud and clear. He was pissed, and he just ran out of patience. The transmission ended and Nappa looked at Vegeta rather solemnly. "No time for a shower. You need to go to your parent's quarters. Now."

"Fuck." Vegeta swore, as he ran a hand through his hair. He cursed at himself for getting distracted and not entering the shower as soon as he arrived. Now he had to walk through the palace hallways, where the guards and anyone else would see him, no doubt. Arriving back home from _another_ day gone from Vegetasei, in his bloody attire, would draw much attention. It would be the talk of the planet by morning.

"All of you stay here. When I get back, I'm going to shower. Then we are ALL going outside to spar tonight." Vegeta said with authority. He was irritated and exhausted. He knew his discussion with his parents would probably not go over well, and he would have a lot of anger and frustration he would want to burn off. What better than to take it out on his bodyguards, and his little brother, who he inwardly admitted he would be much easier on, as long as he kept his mouth shut.

"We have to escort you." Nappa said neutrally, earning a dark glare from the prince. His father didn't trust him to not leave again, or not show up for his chastisement. Vegeta growled in annoyance, and Raditz inwardly sighed. It sure looked like Vegeta was being babysat now.

"Let's go, before your father threatens to cut off our tails." Raditz said, motioning for Vegeta to start heading out.

"Fucking unbelievable..." Vegeta grumbled, huffing as he tightened his tail around his waist . He fisted his hands. He should have just stayed overnight on Earth and come back to Vegetasei in the morning, when his parents' tempers, and his own, might have cooled off a little. He would rather deal with Yamcha's idiocy again than _this_ right now. Better yet, he would rather be with Bulma at their in-home theatre, watching some stupid movie that she insisted on seeing with him rather than be here at this moment.

That actually didn't sound like that bad of an idea. He supposed he could transmit back to Earth right now, at the risk of incurring further wrath from his parents. He'd rather be there on Earth to protect her from scar-face anyway.

Damn, even at a time like this, he'd rather be with her. What was wrong with him?

At seeing Vegeta's demeanor change from anger to looking like he was contemplating an escape, Nappa quickly cut into whatever thoughts he was having. "Vegeta. No. Let's go. _Now_." he emphasized, coming out as more of an encouragement than an order. The old mentor was one of the very few that could walk that thin line with the prince.

"Fine! Let's get this over with then." Vegeta spat out, as he began to storm off.

"See, told you we needed a cover…" Tarble began.

"Not now, Tarble!" Vegeta barked, in no mood to deal with his younger sibling, as he walked out of their quarters to go confront their parents, with Nappa and Raditz in tow, following closely behind their bloodied prince.

* * *

Inconspicuous looks held steady on him as Vegeta thundered through the winding walkways of the grand palace, as many Saiyans bowed to their eldest prince as he stormed by. His sensitive ears could hear the murmurs behind him of curiosity and speculation, no doubt of his outward appearance and his current, abrupt presence back on the planet. Vegeta's temper flared again, annoyed at the situation he put himself in. He approached the King and Queen's quarters, where the guards posted outside bowed most graciously to him, albeit after they quickly hid their surprise at seeing the prince bloodied up and temperamental.

"You can leave now." Vegeta ground out in a bitter tone, refusing to turn around to acknowledge his current prison wardens as Nappa and Raditz hastily bowed and walked away, not wishing to say anything more to the turbulent Saiyan prince. Vegeta shot a dark glare a the guards, and they hurriedly opened the doors to his parents' quarters. He growled in his chest as he walked in and the doors shut behind him.

"Ah, _there's_ our missing son." his mother said, gracefully whipping her long, dark, silken hair back over her shoulder as she turned to him, a stern look on her beautiful face as she crossed her arms underneath her bosom. Her onyx eyes could not miss the bloody condition her son was in. She set aside her irritation and anger at Vegeta, since it seemed there was a more pressing issue at hand.

"So it is." his father ground out curtly, irritation clearly evident in his tone of voice, as he stood as strong and unyielding as his son. His eyebrows furrowed in veiled concern, seeing the blood on Vegeta as well. Their anger and scolding would have to take a back seat for the moment. "Are you injured?"

Vegeta growled in annoyance. "No, I am not injured." Why did everyone think _he_ was the one that had to be injured? How many times was he going to have to go through this tonight?

"Then why is there fresh blood on you?" his mother asked, voice lightly laced with concern. Her eldest son had been gone all day from home again, without his bodyguards again, and now returned looking like he had been through hell. "Was there an assassination attempt?!"

"NO." Vegeta snapped, even though technically scar-face wanted to kill him. "And it's not _my_ blood, if that is what you are asking." Vegeta quipped with a dark smirk, wanting to quickly change the subject and get to the real reason he had been summoned to them. The sooner he got chewed out, the better, that way he could go spar with his brother and comrades, and hopefully get a good night's rest finally. He was sure he probably looked like shit, as he then glanced off to the side, seeing his reflection in the mirror that was mounted on the wall nearby.

He really _did_ look that terrible.

Vegeta turned his body slightly, tilting his head sideways a little, studying himself. He looked exactly like he felt: exhausted. He had drying blood on most of his face still, despite wiping it off with his hand when the bastard had spit it out on him. His face furrowed in reminiscent anger at the thought. He glanced at his hands and arms, which were bloody also. He fisted his hands a bit, remember what it felt like to punch into that worthless excuse of a human. His gaze then turned to his clothing, but his sleeveless shirt baring the brunt of the quantity of blood. That's what happened when pulverizing someone into a bloody, broken pulp! He smirked, which quickly faded away as he saw the considerable hole charred in his shirt, and the redness of his skin underneath.

No wonder the woman had been concerned over him.

Vegeta thought about the touch of her hand on his chest, and he inwardly sighed as his tail curled slowly, shaped almost like a question mark for a moment. Even in the midst of a heated argument between them, she could set aside her anger and show her concern for him. His tail relaxed and swish slightly in contentment. That damned woman, always invading his thoughts at the most random, inappropriate times. He quickly looked away from the mirror as he realized he had been lost in thought about her again, turning his attention back to his parents, who were looking at him in a somewhat perplexed way.

His mother perked up an eyebrow, momentarily intrigued as she keenly studied the passing emotions that crossed her son's face. Emotions that his eyes could not hide. Most notably, the last emotion she managed to observe. His father noticed as well, interested in knowing what his son seemed to suddenly be hiding. It wasn't like him to not say who he defeated. "Vegeta, who's blood do you have on your hands?"

"It is none of your business." Vegeta grumbled, once again tightening his tail back around his waist, crossing his forearms in front of him in displeasure.

"Of course it's our business. You have been off-planet all day, and you arrive back looking like this." his mother said, eyeing him. "I hope _this_ isn't the reason you've been gone all day." she said, gesturing at his clothing, hinting that he better not have been going around killing anyone politically important.

"Believe me, it's not." Vegeta said, sensing that his parents were going to try to pry further into who's blood it was, rather than bitch at him about having disappeared all day again. He didn't realize that his clothing gave him away completely. He wasn't wearing his bodysuit, or battle armor, nor his gloves or his boots. He was wearing a sleeveless charcoal-grey shirt and red basketball shorts, and tennis shoes. Those were human clothes, and his parents had caught onto that as soon as he had stepped into their quarters.

"Where have you been today?" his father asked, a slight smirk on his face.

The glint of amusement in his father and mother's eyes unnerved him. "My whereabouts are none of your concern." Vegeta said defiantly, glaring at them in challenge, daring them to pry further into his personal affairs. He watched as his mother turned to look at his father, a small, devious smile on her lips.

"I'm almost positive he was on Earth today." she said.

Vegeta tensed, caught off-guard at his mother's words.

"Yes, I'm sure of it also. Could it be that he was with Bulma?" the king replied back at her, as they dually turned their attention back to their stunned son.

"What?! But…you…how?…" Vegeta stuttered, quickly snapping his mouth shut as he growled out in frustration. "What makes you think I was there? And with _her_ of all people?!"

"Your clothing gives it away, my dear." the queen smiled a bit, watching as her son seemed to realize his mistake. Vegeta looked back into the mirror again, realizing he was still dressed in athletic _human_ clothing.

Son of a bitch.

He knew his mind must really not have been where it was supposed to be, if he had somehow let something like this slip. Whether on Vegetasei or other planets, he wore _only_ his Saiyan gear or battle armor. Earth was his only exception. Here he, and the others, had been so preoccupied with his bloody appearance and the questioning as to where he had been, that it didn't cross his mind _once_ since returning as to _what_ he was still wearing.

The prince brought a hand up and smacked his forehead, dragging his hand down his face in utter disbelief of himself. So _that's_ why Tarble guessed him to have been on Earth! The little shit! No wonder he had said he had given himself away and that he better hide it better! Vegeta decided to hell with going easy on him, he was going to strangle his sibling after all! _And_ he had walked through the palace dressed like that also! Now everyone on Vegetasei would be buzzing about this for sure.

"And how _is_ Bulma?" his mother asked, almost in a teasing way.

Vegeta scoffed. "Hell if I know! I didn't see her much today!"

The king also found amusement in seeing their eldest son unnerved for once. "We were wondering where, or who, you have been disappearing off to."

Vegeta turned a light shade of red, and he wasn't sure if it was from anger or from a blush. "I was there to train in the gravity room, since I broke the one here this morning." Vegeta begrudgingly admitted.

"I'm sure that was not the _only_ reason you were gone all day." his mother said. "You've been doing more than training. Did you kill someone there?"

"No. I did not." Vegeta emphasized, getting tired of the same questions everyone seemed to have tonight. He was getting agitated quickly, as the tip of his tail flicked sharply. He needed to take control of the conversation and avoid further questions about the blood and who it exactly belonged to. "I am going to spar with Tarble, Nappa, and Raditz tonight, and I would prefer that we get on with what you summoned me here for, so I can get back to more training."

The king and queen became serious again, remembering why they had called their son to their quarters. For now they would just have to take Vegeta's word, and find out later what had happened on Earth. "Despite where you were today, or for what reasons, still _does not _excuse your absence, Vegeta." his father said sternly. "You have already been absent for the first part of important discussions on trade and policy with the Acrosians."

Vegeta rolled his eyes in annoyance. "I am not needed there at this current stage of the discussions. You already know my stance on certain issues, and no number of talks or amount of time spent in that damned room will make me change my mind."

"Vegeta, as crown prince of Vegetasei, you need to be here. You are the heir to our empire. You need to be involved in all aspects the process, from diplomatic talk, trade agreements and policy, to strengthening and growing interplanetary relations." his father chastised, which made Vegeta scowl.

"You both know as well as I that loathe all the unnecessary political bullshit. And given my reputation, I'm sure many other ambassadors and dignitaries would prefer for me to _not_ be around during the initial negotiations as well." Vegeta ended with a smirk, reminding them of how volatile he could get when cooped up in the large conference room, half the time surrounded by liars and deceivers from other planets. All politicians were the same, no matter what race or planet they were from. "I might show up when the final contracts and treaties are ready to be finalized. Even then, don't expect me agree to everything on there and sign it."

"Must you be so difficult?" the queen said as she shook her head in annoyance.

"I can be much worse." Vegeta taunted lightly, seeing his mother's tail frizz up in irritation, which brought a hint of a smile on his face.

The queen walked over to her son and touched her fingertip to the tip of his nose. "Vegeta, I expect you to be here _all day tomorrow _for the next round of talks and negotiations. If not, I will personally cut your tail off." And with that, she turned away from him, and gracefully strolled into their personal bedroom chamber.

"She means it." his father said, watching as Vegeta scowled again.

"She thinks she does." Vegeta commented, earning a smirk from his father.

"One day she'll do it." the king said, after watching his queen walk into their chambers and close the door behind her. He turned and looked at his son, a little less intensely this time. "Be here tomorrow, all day, in the conference room. Understood?"

"Is that all?" the prince said grumpily, unhappy about having to be stuck on Vegetasei all day tomorrow in horrid interplanetary meetings and negotiations.

"Yes, you are dismissed." his father said, placing a hand on Vegeta's shoulder for a moment, before removing it and heading to bed also.

Vegeta stood there, glad that his parents hadn't been as irate over his absences as he thought they would be. Tomorrow was going to be one hell of a day, but on the bright side, the woman was coming there tomorrow to fix his machine. Chances were she would probably be dragged into the meetings as well. '_At least I won't have to suffer though them by myself' _Vegeta thought_. _With her there, he might actually behave, and that was good news for the foreign ambassadors. '_Thinking of her again?_' Vegeta mused slightly he thought about her for what seemed to be the thousandth time lately. He glanced back at himself again. He need to shower, spar with his brother and his bodyguards, and hopefully beat himself up and train himself into further exhaustion. Maybe then he could finally get a good night's sleep, without the blue-haired scientist running through his dreams.

Vegeta placed two fingers to his forehead, deciding to teleport to his room again, chosing _not_ to go through the hallways again.

* * *

Vegeta appeared back at his quarters again, this time not only in front of Tarble, but Nappa and Raditz as well. He frowned as he saw their tails curl in curiosity, wanting to know what happened.

"How'd it go?!" Tarble asked, worried about him. Vegeta had been gone for awhile, and thought that maybe their parents had been more pissed at him than he originally thought.

Vegeta proceeded to tear off his blood-soaked shirt in one great rip, throwing it to the floor. "Would have gone better if you had told me I had these clothes on." he snapped at Tarble, earning a nervous gulp from him.

"I tried to tell you, but you made me shut up!" Tarble insisted. He didn't think having human clothes on was going to be that big of a deal to his parents, but maybe it was. Now he felt guilty, as if he betrayed his brother somehow by letting him leave without at least changing into his Saiyan armor.

"Hn." Vegeta commented, continuing to disrobe, removing his blood and dirt-encrusted basketball shorts, and pulling off his socks and his shoes. He couldn't really be mad at Tarble. It was his own fault he didn't shower, or at least change clothes before coming back to Vegetasei, or in those minutes when he first arrived. Even so, his parents didn't seem to really care about what he was wearing, or where he even was that day, they were more concerned about the blood and those damn diplomatic responsibilities.

Raditz furrowed his eyebrows in confusion for a moment. "I don't understand Vegeta. You already knew your clothes were bloody."

"Raditz, you really are Kakarot's brother." Nappa rolled his eyes, thumping the younger Saiyan on the head. "Vegeta's wearing _human_ clothes."

It took Raditz a moment to mull over this information. Then it hit him. "Vegeta, you were on Earth?!"

Tarble groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "It was obvious to everyone but you, Raditz."

"Hey! I was more concerned over his disappearance and all the blood, than paying attention to what type of clothes he was wearing!" Raditz defended.

Vegeta stayed silent as the cat was out of the bag now, and he turned to stare them down. They all looked at Vegeta as he stood there in his underwear. He had no wounds on his body at all, except for a circular red patch of skin on his chest.

He had been telling the truth earlier…it wasn't his blood. Then who's was it?

Vegeta gathered up his bloody clothes and tossed them to Nappa. "Incinerate those." He then looked at all three of them with tired, grouchy look. "I am going to take a shower, and when I teleport outside of this palace, I expect to see _all three of you_ outside, in your battle armor, ready to spar. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Vegeta" Nappa and Raditz said solemnly, as Tarble simply nodded his understanding.

Vegeta swiftly turned away, headed to his bedroom chamber door, as Raditz hurried after him. "Wait Vegeta! So you were on Earth today? If it's not your blood, then it's a human's? Who's is it?"

Vegeta responded by opening his bedroom door and proceeded to slam it shut, forcefully enough to crack the door off its hinges, making all three of them wince as they got the message from the tumultuous prince: Don't ask me again.

Nappa grumbled as he left the royal princes' quarters, heading outside to incinerate the clothes like Vegeta ordered. The trek back to his room to change into his battle armor would be a long one. He was not looking forward to an ass-kicking that was sure to come.

"Kakarot was most likely on Earth today. Maybe he knows what happened over there. I'll have to talk to him and ask." Raditz reasoned out loud more to himself than to Tarble as he left the quarters, heading to his room to change into his battle armor. He was determined to find out.

Tarble sighed, heading towards his door to his personal chambers. He wasn't looking forward to sparring, and knew he was going to be hurting tonight.

* * *

The three Saiyans lined up side by side, patiently awaiting Vegeta's arrival in silence. They chose the largest training field, figuring they needed the extra space during their spars. Vegeta focused on their energy signals, sensing where they were, and teleported outside to them. He appeared, dressed in his battle armor, freshly bathed and free of the blood, dirt, and grime that had previously covered him.

"Who wants to spar with me first?" He looked at all three of them seriously as he adjusted his gloves on his hands.

Silence greeted him for a moment. No one _wanted_ to. Suddenly, Nappa put his arm behind Raditz and shoved him forward.

"Hey!" Raditz complained, glaring back at Nappa behind his shoulder, as he then turned to face Vegeta. He heard Tarble and Nappa trying to stifle a snicker. "Guess it'll be me."

"Good. Since Kakarot isn't here, you're the next best option." Vegeta said, dropping into a battle stance.

Raditz quickly went into a defensive stance, as they began to slowly circle each other. "Why are we out here? Why not spar in your gravity room?"

"It's out of service." Vegeta said in a deceivingly calm tone, planning out his strategy on how to get around Raditz. He and Kakarot were very similar in the way they fought, so he would have to be on his guard.

"How so?" Raditz asked, carefully reading Vegeta's every movement, waiting for him to strike.

"Destroyed the power core this morning, for starters." Vegeta began.

"Bulma must not have been happy to hear about that." Tarble mentioned, wondering how much damage his brother had really done to the components of his gravity room.

"She wasn't."

"Is she going to be able fix it?" Tarble asked.

Vegeta shrugged. "I'm not a mechanic. Ask her yourself. She's coming here tomorrow."

At hearing this news, they brightened up a bit, as their tails swished in gladness. They hadn't seen Bulma in months! The damage Vegeta caused to the gravity room must have been extensive enough to think that even their residing mechanics could not repair it.

Nappa smirked. "Must be nice to have Bulma at your beck and call. She's as busy as you are these days. Are you sure she has no issues with being called away from Earth like this? Then again, it's no surprise she would drop everything for you, Vegeta."

Raditz laughed, seeing Vegeta tense up at Nappa's remarks. "Well now, since Bulma is coming to Vegetasei tomorrow, maybe Vegeta won't go missing all day again. Wouldn't _that_ be a coincidence?" he teased lightly.

"I would find it to be." Tarble snickered, wanting to get his two-cents in.

"You are all being ridiculous. She had _nothing_ to do with me being gone all day." Vegeta insisted.

"Of course not. You were just on Earth to train. And have your meals at her home. And find time to argue with her about repairing your gravity room, no doubt. And apparently you found the time to beat someone up to a bloody pulp. Like you said, she had _nothing_ to do with it." Nappa teased also, earning an irritable growl from Vegeta.

"Enough!" Vegeta warned, as Nappa was starting to hone in too closely to the truth. "We are here to spar, not to discuss my personal business!" he barked, pointing his finger at them. "We are dropping the subject, _now_."

"Calm down. We're just teasing." Raditz then studied the riled up prince, seeing how tired and stressed he really was. "Maybe you should get some sleep, Vegeta. We know you haven't been sleeping well lately. There's no need to spar tonight."

"No. We will train and spar until we can barely make it back to the rejuvenation tanks." Vegeta finalized, flying up into the air, glaring down at them. "Tarble, Nappa, keep your distance. Raditz, your move."

* * *

Wow that was a long chapter! Too bad my writer's block had followed us to Vegetasei after all. Despite the struggles, it was still fun to write. It was nice to get away from Bulma and her tribulations, and focus on Vegeta in this chapter for sure. I wanted to give all of glimpse into Vegeta's life on his home planet, and I hope you enjoyed it!

The next chapter is where things start to pick up, as we continue on with our favorite couple's journey. I'm optimistic, I'm feeling like the writers block is finally going away, as I have an exciting plan for this story ^_^

Please leave a review and tell me what you thought! Thanks for reading!

Oh, and on a funny note: Goku married Chi-Chi, who is the Ox King's daughter. That makes her a princess, thus making Goku a prince also! Vegeta is already the Prince of All Saiyans, so I guess that makes Goku the Prince of All Ox's? And what does that make Tarble?!


	9. Restless Hearts, Sleepless Nights

Hello my lovely readers! How are all of you today?

Yes, your eyes do not deceive you…this is another update! That writer's block has been kicked to the curb!

Thank you to everyone who read the last chapter, and thanks for the reviews! I know the last chapter took 2 weeks to get out, and I think I've lost a lot of you from the long wait, but that's okay. As long as one person keeps reading this, I'll keep writing!

I hope you enjoy this next chapter! It's exciting…well, at least in my opinion, because things are starting to roll.

A/N: I don't own DragonBall Z. I do own all the seasons on DVD though. I want to buy the blu-rays, but I think I'd rather spend my money on getting a custom-made Vegeta tattoo. Haven't told the hubby yet though…he may not like the idea.

Second A/N: Bardock knows something that we don't know…..at least until you read the chapter…then you'll know!

* * *

**Chapter 9- Restless Hearts, Sleepless Nights**

Hours later, Vegeta at long last got his pent up energy out of him as he, his brother, and his comrades trained and sparred for hours upon hours into the long night. It wasn't until he was coughing up too much blood from his punctured lungs that he decided they should call it a night. He looked over at the trio…they had gone easy on the youngest prince. Tarble had multiple contusions all over his body, a broken collarbone, and a few fractures on his arms and legs. Overall Tarble was in the best shape of the lot as he shakily managed to stand up, wincing in pain. His left eye was completely swollen shut, puffed out in a blackened pillow of blood. His face and lips were swollen, bruised, and bleeding.

Nappa and Raditz had borne the brunt of Vegeta's assaults, as their injuries were numerous. Raditz had broken ribs, a broken arm, at least a fractured hip bone, and he was pretty sure his left leg was almost completely broken. Nappa was sure his left eye socket was fractured, as he tried readjusting his broken nose back into place. He had one hell of a headache, as he felt a large hematoma forming near his temple. His skull was probably fractured. Nappa managed to pop the shoulder of his broken arm back into its socket, and slowly made his way over to Vegeta, as he saw the prince on his hands and knees, spitting blood out onto the ground.

Raditz managed to limp over to Vegeta also, coughing up blood from the effort it took. "Let's get to the medic wing." he said, reaching out with his good arm to try to hoist Vegeta up to his feet.

"I can get up by myself." Vegeta wheezed painfully, his breath staggered as he slowly got to his feet. He hunched over, struggling to stand up fully as his chest and lungs were burning like fire. He took shallow breaths, trying not to cough up more and cause himself more pain. Vegeta looked worse than when he had first arrived back home. He had insisted that neither one of them hold back on him, and they didn't. The brunt of the damage had come from when Nappa and Raditz joined up together against him, landing vicious punches and kicks that bruised internal organs, broke his ribs, and fractured his arms and legs. Vegeta, like the others, had quite a few wounds that were gaping open, seeping blood all over themselves onto the ground. Their bodies were tainted with black and blue on the visible areas that were not covered in blood. Vegeta managed to wipe some blood from his mouth. "That will be enough for tonight."

The rest of them nodded, silently glad that Vegeta was not going to make them spar any longer. They would have kept going if he insisted, for the gains in strength greatly justified their injuries, but looking at the prince, they noticed he was in bad shape. Perhaps they had taken it a bit too far with him.

"Brother are you alright?" Tarble asked, walking that thin line between concern and worry.

"I'm fine." Vegeta stubbornly insisted, spitting out more of his own blood. In reality, he didn't feel he was in that bad of a condition. After all, the injuries he had received from them was nothing compared to the beating he had given Yamcha earlier that night. Vegeta took a moment to feel the discomfort and pain he was in, and hoped the scar-faced weakling had felt pain worse a thousand times over. He wondered what Bulma would say at this moment, if she saw him right now. She'd probably either be yelling at him for his recklessness, or overly concerned about his injuries. Knowing her, she'd be doing both at the same time.

Vegeta shook his head, inwardly berating himself for thinking of her again. He had tried so hard to purge his mind of thoughts of her, and for the past few hours it had worked, as he submerged himself in training and battle against his brother and his bodyguards. Thoughts and feelings for the blue-haired woman had finally escaped from him, as the physical assaults on his body replaced those gaps and filled them with pain. He would only grow stronger and stronger from this. He needed to be stronger, but the only way he was going to get stronger was by letting himself heal. "I'll teleport us there."

The others inwardly sighed in relief, and even that itself seemed painful. They were going to suck it up and make the long trek back to the palace, since none of them had any energy reserves left to fly back. They were glad Vegeta was going to teleport them…which only meant that he was in worse shape than they originally thought. They made their way over Vegeta, and put their hands on him, as he raised two fingers to his forehead and felt out the ki to one of the two medics inside the ward. In a flash, they appeared in the medical wing, bloody, bruised, broken, and on the edge of passing out, as both Vegeta and Raditz fell to their knees, coughing up blood.

* * *

Bardock was momentarily caught off guard as the two princes, Nappa, and his son appeared out of nowhere in front of him. His shock disappeared as he saw their terrible conditions. "Quickly! Get them into the rejuvenation tanks!" he barked to the other medic as they quickly rushed to their aid. He went to help Vegeta first, since he looked to be the worst off, only to have a gloved hand held up in front of him.

"Get the others first." Vegeta huffed, stopping Bardock from helping him as he remained kneeling, wincing in pain as he watched his blood drip onto the clean floor and slowly form a puddle. Bardock knew not to question his prince and gestured to the other medic to take care of Tarble. He then looked over at his own son and frowned deeply. "Raditz!" he scolded. "What's going on here?! What happened?!"

"Not now, father!" Raditz ground out, coughing up blood as he was struggling to stand up.

"Yes_, now!_ Where is your brother?!" Bardock barked, not seeing Goku amongst the group as he helped his eldest son stand. He could tell by the way he had gotten up and was putting his weight on one leg, that the other one was broken.

"On Earth." Raditz managed to wheeze out. "He's been there all day. Staying the night." Bardock looked relieved. He thought for sure that Goku would have also been involved in whatever mess this was. Knowing he would not get any answers from him, he helped his eldest son entered the rejuvenation tank and put his breathing mask on. He shut the door and programmed it to sedate him and begin the healing process. He looked over at the other tank that Tarble was in, watching as the medic set a shorter healing time for him. He saw that the young prince didn't look as beat up as the rest. He then turned his attention to Nappa, who looked dizzy and about to pass out.

"What's happened here, Nappa?!" Bardock demanded, not knowing why the four of them suddenly appeared out of nowhere in his ward, bloodied, bruised up, and broken. He had already heard about Vegeta showing back up on the planet currently looking the way he was, but _not_ the rest of them. He wasn't sure what had happened with Vegeta. Had the prince returned to wherever he had been at all day? Had he brought the rest of them with him to exact revenge? Surely that had to be why. It looked like it had been a brutal battle, but a battle they had won.

"Nothing! We were sparring with Vegeta outside." Nappa said as he began to enter a tank.

"Sparring? At this hour?" Bardock said, unconvinced. They never sparred at these late hours of the night. He immediately became suspicious, knowing they were hiding something.

"Yes, _sparring_." Nappa emphasized. "We've been out there for a few hours."

"I don't believe you." Bardock said firmly, thinking Nappa was trying to protect his son, Prince Tarble, and Prince Vegeta. He knew Nappa and his son were already in deep water for not having been with Vegeta earlier to guard him. If they had all gone somewhere and killed people, it would be Nappa's job to cover and even take the blame.

"That's fine, don't believe me. Ask Vegeta." Nappa said as he put on his breathing mask, glaring at the other medic to set his machine also. The medic quickly closed the tank door and programmed the healing chamber to start up.

Vegeta remained kneeled on the floor, struggling to breathe as he listened to Bardock question their motives. His vision began to blur as he stared down at the small pool of blood around him, growing dizzier by the moment. "Bardock, you're as nosey as your idiot sons." he growled out in annoyance, thinking of Goku's earlier interference during his fight with Yamcha, and Raditz's unending persistence on wanting to know who's blood it was that initially covered him upon his return back to Vegetasei.

Bardock motioned for the other medic to leave the room, which he did so. As the door shut and he and Vegeta were left in private, Bardock spoke in a more gentle, fatherly tone. "It's not being nosey, it's called being protective. Didn't you know it's a family trait?" Bardock joked, eyeing the prince. "Word has already gotten around of your arrival earlier. You look no different now from what I was told, except that you have your _Saiyan_ battle gear on this time. Personally Vegeta, I think human clothes are a good look on you also."

"Very funny." Vegeta huffed out in irritation, causing him to go into a fit of bloody coughs. Bardock set aside his teasing for a moment, genuinely concerned for the prince, whom he considered like another son.

"Come now Vegeta, let's get you into a tank." Bardock began, beginning to reach down to help him off the floor.

"Don't you dare." Vegeta growled out in a warning against wanting help, as he slowly stood back up, cradling his torso with one arm as he wiped blood off of his face with his other hand. "I've had it about up to here with everyone's infernal coddling."

Bardock looked at Vegeta thoughtfully for a moment. "Were you really sparring outside tonight? Or were you elsewhere?"

"Yes." Vegeta answered. "And if you don't believe me, then I'm sure I can find another lead medic who will." he threatened weakly, unable to put any forcefulness into his voice lest he go into another painful fit of bloody coughs.

"I'm sure you could." Bardock smirked, not the least bit fazed by Vegeta's threat. "I'm sure you wouldn't mind having Bulma as your lead medic. If she's not in her lab working on technology for you, she's over here in the medical wing taking care of you."

"She does a hell of a better job than you do. By now she'd be screeching like a banshee for me to get into the tank, rather than stand around wanting to talk to me." Vegeta said sarcastically, wincing again from the effort it took to put together that long sentence.

"Ah, I'm sure she would be. No doubt you also would prefer her hands examining your body rather than mine." Bardock teased, earning a growl from Vegeta, which only caused him to cough up some blood. "Not only is she a genius scientist, engineer, mechanic, and businesswoman, but she is also an expert medic when it comes to Saiyan anatomy and physiology. Especially _your_ body. She knows you better than you know yourself. Is there nothing that Bulma can't do?" he continued his teasing.

Vegeta's cheeks tinged with pink. "I fail to see why my suffering is amusing to you." Vegeta grumbled.

"Your suffering is not amusing. Just your stubbornness."

"Same difference." Vegeta murmured, attempting to stand up straight again. He kept one arm across his torso, as he leaned over and rested his hand on his thigh. "Are we going to keep talking about the woman and I, or are you going to do something to heal me?"

"Depends." Bardock studied Vegeta, seeing that since he was well enough to almost stand up on his own and still be able to talk, then he wasn't in that bad of shape, all things considering. "So how was Earth today?"

"This isn't the time for small talk." Vegeta warned.

"Well you'll be getting plenty of it tomorrow. You show back up here in bloody human clothing…surely you know what a stir that will cause. I know you're aware of the rumors and speculation going on about you and Bulma. This will not help quell any of those at all. You didn't get yourself into trouble on Earth, did you?"

"No. I was training in the gravity room over there, since the one here is broken."

"Then why did you return a bloody mess?" He saw Vegeta's warning glare. "You can't blame me for being concerned, Vegeta. You showed up here looking the way you did, with no explanation to anyone. Then hours later you're a bloody mess again, with your brother and your bodyguards in tow. What else do you expect me to ask?"

"Hn." Vegeta grumbled. Bardock was right, and he couldn't fault him for his concern. Damned family trait.

"What happened over there?" he pressed again.

"Must you really know?"

"Yes, or else how will I know the truth? Everyone will greatly exaggerate what happened to you." Bardock reasoned.

"Fine." Vegeta said, spitting out more blood. "The woman's fiancée mouthed off to me. He hurt her. He mouthed off to me some more. I beat his ass to within an inch of his life. Your idiot son interfered and stopped me from killing him. He was taken to get healed, I came home, only to have everyone ask me the same goddamned questions over and over again. Yes, I was on Earth. No, it wasn't my blood on me. No, I didn't kill anyone. Yes, the woman knows what happened, and for the last time, there is _nothing_ going on between myself and the woman. Make sure everyone understands that."

"Ah, so Kakarot has _some_ involvement in this after all?"

Vegeta sighed, wincing as he did so, trying hard not to go into another coughing fit. "Kakarot needs to learn to not interfere with my affairs, as does Raditz. And yourself. And my parents. And everyone else trying to pry into my personal life."

"You don't have a personal life, Vegeta. You're the crown prince of Vegetasei. Everything you say and do is news. Whether you like it or not, a lot of things revolve around you."

"Don't remind me." Vegeta gritted out. Maybe that's why he found himself on Earth so much lately also, to get away from the constant eyes and ears on him, analyzing every word he said, studying every move he made. At least on Earth, no one knew who he was. Not that he really cared. Sometimes it was nice to blend in and not have everyone focus on him. On Earth, he was the one who did the focusing. Mostly on a blue-haired woman who drove him insane as much as she did intrigue him.

"So you _did_ happen to see Bulma. How is she doing?" Bardock asked, watching as Vegeta's look softened on his face as he was thinking of something.

"She is fine. Busy, like always." Vegeta said neutrally, giving Bardock at least something to go by. She was best friends with Kakarot, and naturally a part of his family, almost as close to them as she was to his own royal family.

"She had nothing to say about you hurting Yamcha?"

"No."

"Really?" Bardock mused. That was interesting, to say the least.

"Would I lie?" Vegeta asked.

"No. Did Yamcha hurt her badly?"

"He bruised her arm." Vegeta said bitterly.

Bardock winced, thinking about the frail beauty being marred by such an unsightly mark. "She put healing salve on it?"

"I told her to."

"Does Kakarot know he hurt her?"

"I'm sure he figured it out." Vegeta coughed. "Wasn't the reason why I nearly killed him though."

"Didn't think it was." Bardock agreed, knowing there was something much more deeply seeded in the reasoning for why Vegeta nearly killed Yamcha. "What happened?"

"The idiot challenged me." Vegeta ground out, still amazed at the stupidity of the weakling. He was more amazed that he accepted the challenge.

"Yet you didn't kill him?" It was more of a statement rather than a question, as Bardock was analyzing all the facts.

"Tch. And have the woman hate me for all eternity?"

"She could never hate you, Vegeta." Bardock assured.

The prince looked away, off to the side as he stared blankly at a wall for a moment. "I'd rather not test that theory out."

"Does she know what this means?" Bardock asked knowingly.

"No." Vegeta ground out bitterly, spitting blood onto the floor. "I don't think she does." he returned his attention back to Bardock. "And we are going to keep it that way. She's a human…this does not apply to her."

"Doesn't matter. She's lived half her life here with us...she's practically Saiyan. If anyone finds out that _you_ were challenged, especially by _Yamcha_ , and that you accepted and obviously won, there will be no going back, you understand this, right?"

"I know." Vegeta growled, somewhat unhappy at the situation he had put himself in. "But no one will find out, so there is nothing to worry about."

"Then you better make sure that Bulma doesn't go around telling anyone what happened." Bardock advised.

"Then you tell Kakarot to keep his mouth shut also. He doesn't know all the details, but I'm sure he knows enough by now."

"Anyone else know who's blood was on you?" Bardock asked.

"No. Except for a cat and a fat samurai. They are of no importance."

Bardock nodded, accepting Vegeta's answer. "So you said Bulma had nothing to say about you defeating him, right?"

"She had nothing to say. She just showed that damned concern of hers over me."

"Did she show any over Yamcha?"

"None."

"None at all?" Bardock asked, puzzled.

"No. She did not scream, or yell, or cry at me. Or try to slap me. She only cared to see if I was okay."

Bardock smiled. "Then that is a good thing, Vegeta."

"Perhaps. I asked her to come back to Vegetasei with me. She refused."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"It means she stayed behind to try to work out things with _him._" Vegeta groused. He paused for a moment, turning serious. "She is going to marry him in a few days."

"We don't have much time then, do we? If you keep refusing to tell her of your interest, how can you expect her to change her mind, Vegeta?" Bardock tried to reason with him.

"I shouldn't have to tell her anything! My actions should speak loud enough."

"Not loud enough, apparently, since she has not gotten the message. She won't see you in a different light unless you try." Bardock mused. "Love will never bloom when the very seeds and water refuse to join together and bask in the sunlight."

"You should be a philosopher, not a medic." Vegeta said, his voice laced with sarcasm as he rolled his eyes slightly.

Bardock chuckled. "You know, it _would_ be good to see Bulma again. She's always so busy when she's Earthbound. I think I will tell Kakarot to teleport her here soon…" he said as an afterthought.

"You'll see her tomorrow. She's coming here." Vegeta said as he began to make his way to a rejuvenation tank, tired of talking, although Bardock did make him feel somewhat better about how things were going.

Bardock perked up an eyebrow. "_Is_ she now? What for?"

"To fix my gravity room."

Bardock smiled. "Then she'll be here with us for the day, at least."

"Hn."

"You should take her somewhere." Bardock began.

"Can't."

"Why not?"

"I will be stuck in the conference room all day with my parents and Tarble, meeting with leaders of other planets, talking trade agreements and all the other bullshit." Vegeta ground out, irritated that he was tied down by his royal responsibilities on the one day she would be coming to Vegetasei.

"Well then, we'll just have to find a reason to pull you out of your meetings." Bardock grinned mischievously.

"Considering you are Raditz and Kakarot's father, I'd rather _not_ know what you might be planning." Vegeta said, wiping more blood from his mouth as he stepped into the healing chamber, wanting to change the subject. "If you haven't noticed, my lungs continue to fill up with blood, and I am in need of healing."

"Ah yes, I had almost forgotten." Bardock retorted sarcastically, handing a breathing mask over to the prince. "Oh, and Vegeta?"

"What?"

"She will make a good mate for you."

"Hn." the prince responded, agreeing. "And Bardock….I don't want any sedatives."

"But Vegeta…"

"I said no."

Bardock sighed as he looked at him. Seeing the uncompromising glare, he reluctantly nodded. "As you wish, your majesty." he said, closing the tank door as Vegeta put on his breathing mask.

The prince took a few short breaths, already feeling relief flood his lungs from the intake of oxygen from his mask. His dark eyes watched as Bardock punched in a few codes, programming the rejuvenation tank to heal him over a period of about 4 hours, making sure he left out the sedatives. Vegeta's gaze went towards his chamber floor, watching the healing fluids fill the chamber. He decided to close his eyes, willing himself to try to ignore the pain he was feeling. He hoped after everything he had gone though tonight, that he was exhausted enough to finally get a good, restful sleep.

* * *

After a couple of hours passed, Tarble had been fully healed and released from his healing tank, promptly heading back to his chambers to take a shower and get into bed. The sedatives always left him feeling overly tired, and knew that was why his brother never wanted them.

An hour after Tarble was released, Raditz and Nappa's healing tanks beeped that they were fully healed. The two medics released them, as they both took a glance at Vegeta still in his, and went to go bathe and get some sleep as well.

Another hour passed, and Bardock went over to get the readout on Vegeta's tank, pressing a button as the machine spit out a long paper full of measurements and statistics. He studied them intently as he went back over to his station, placing the long stream of paper down over a panel.

"His ki is still fluctuating a lot." the other medic mentioned, studying the prince's readout also. "His brain wave pattern is still unstable also." he expressed concern, looking over at Vegeta, who had a pained look on his face.

"He can't sleep." Bardock murmured matter-of-factly, shuffling through more of the paperwork.

"Well no wonder. There aren't any sedatives being given to him." the other medic said, pointing to some data on the readout that showed no amount of sedatives having been programmed. He began to head to Vegeta's healing tank to program some in.

"No. The prince has forbidden any sedatives or pain medication to be administered to him while he is in the healing chamber."

"Why is he doing this to himself? The sedatives will help calm him and get him to sleep."

"It is his choice. It would be wise for you not to question him on it either." Bardock warned. The other medic got the hint, as he walked away from Vegeta's tank, shrugging. He had other things to do rather than trying to heal a prince who was too stubborn to help himself out.

Bardock sighed, glancing over the paperwork once more, before looking over at Vegeta again. The prince had tried to get some sleep while he was healing, but without pain medication and sedatives, it would not prove to be a very comfortable state to be in. Vegeta continued to have a very fitful and restless sleep, drifting in and out of consciousness, as he patiently waited for his tank to beep and let them know he was healed. As if on cue, a few minutes later, the tank beeped, and Bardock walked over to it, pressing a button, which began the purging of healing fluid down the drain.

Vegeta opened his eyes, taking off his breathing mask as the last of the fluid was being drained, waiting for Bardock to open his chamber door.

"You're all done." Bardock said, watching as the prince stepped out of the tank, covered lightly in bluish-green like gel.

Vegeta wiped his face free of the gel, and took a few deep breaths, feeling his lungs and chest work again, He fisted his hands a few times, feeling the renewed health back in his body, as well as the new influx of strength he gained from his injuries. He stretched his arms and neck a few times, lazily curing his tail behind him as he did so. "Took long enough."

"You were injured more than the others." Bardock noted, eyeing Vegeta with trepidation, thinking about his last couple of printouts. "You need to sleep, Vegeta. This lack of rest is not good for you."

Vegeta scoffed. "Kakarot really needs to keep his mouth shut."

"He's just concerned for you. He tells me he finds you awake almost all the time during the night. When do you sleep, Vegeta?"

"I don't."

"I can tell." Bardock said, reaching over and grabbing Vegeta's latest printout, holding it up to him. "Your brain wave pattern is erratic. The lack of sleep is affecting you on an electrical level now. You need to get some good sleep, or you will begin to go mad from lack of rest."

"I will rest enough when I'm dead." Vegeta said, looking at his readout with veiled curiosity.

Bardock's eyebrows furrowed at the morbid comment. "That's a long time to go without rest then."

"Hn." Vegeta then sighed inwardly. "It's not like I haven't been trying."

"How long has this been going on?"

Vegeta shrugged nonchalantly. "Weeks. Months."

Bardock's lips pursed in concern, as he studied Vegeta. Only keen eyes like his could see how exhausted the Saiyan prince was. It wouldn't be long until he could no longer hide it from everyone. He put the papers down, and turned around to face the prince again with a stern, worried look. "If this continues on much longer, I will be forced to put sedatives in the tank the next time you are in one."

"Brave of you to threaten me."

"It's not a threat. It's a promise." Bardock countered. "Find a way to get some sleep and rest, or I will find one for you. I'm sure your parents would agree with me. And if I can't get you to do it, I'm sure Bulma can."

Vegeta couldn't help but smirk as he was reminded of Bulma. She was always standing up to him also, threatening him even when most of the time they were just empty threats. His tail swung behind him in amusement, as he remembered that Bulma would be on Vegetasei later on today. "You medics are all the same."

Bardock quirked an eyebrow up in curiosity as he watched Vegeta turn away, heading out of the medic ward. "Going to get some sleep now, I'm guessing?"

"Tch. No. I'm going to shower and get some food." '_And wait for her to get here_.' Vegeta said to himself, trying not to think about how he would be stuck in the conference room all day dealing with politics and business, instead of spending his time bugging Bulma while she worked on repairing his gravity room. Then again, he could always go check up on her during a break from the meetings...unless Bardock could really think of a way to get him out of his royal obligations so he could spend time with the blue-haired woman.

* * *

After tinkering with Vegeta's gravity bracelet for a few hours, Bulma started to get a headache. She had thrown down her soldering device in frustration, unable to fuse together the wiring with the metallic alloy the bracelet was made from. She groaned and rubbed her eyes in frustration. She glanced over at the clock, which read 1:30 a.m. _'Great, already 1:30 in the morning and I'm still awake.'_ Bulma complained to herself, as she reached over for her mug of coffee, noticing her 4th cup of it was all gone already. Sighing, she crossed her arms over her work desk, lying her head down on top of them as she glared at the bracelet. She was never going to get it to work, let alone get it done in time for Vegeta's birthday.

Bulma closed her beautiful azure eyes, trying to clear her mind and think about what she was doing wrong. Her mathematical formulas and calculations, up to that point, were correct, so was it something more technical? Or was she just past the point of exhaustion where she just couldn't work on anything anymore? Nonsense, she told herself, knowing all she needed was to take a break, grab more coffee, and get back to work.

Bulma had unknowingly fallen asleep on her work desk and remained in that position for a couple of hours. Her sleep was restless, fitful, and uncomfortable as she kept changing the positions of her head and her arms, trying to find a suitable spot on the cold, solid metal desktop. She squirmed around uncomfortably, her back starting to ache from the awkward position she was sitting in.

"Bulma, honey?" she heard a soft, feminine voice that seemed miles away.

"Hmm?" Bulma murmured, "What is it?"

"Honey, it's late. You should be sleeping in your bed, not over your desk."

"Huh? Oh?" Bulma said, waking up from her light sleep as she sat up in her chair, trying to stretch out her cramped neck and shoulder muscles. "I think I fell asleep."

Bunny chuckled softly. "I think you did also. What are you doing down here anyway?"

Bulma tried to shake the grogginess away, as she leaned back in her chair, stretching her limbs out as she let out a great big yawn. "I didn't want to sleep, so I came down here to work on something."

"Is it because of what happened earlier?" Bunny asked, stifling a yawn also, as she brought her hand up to her mouth.

"Yeah…didn't want nightmares." Bulma grumbled, standing up and stretching some more. She hated when she fell asleep at her desk. Now it was going to take the whole night to work the kinks out of her joints.

"What happened?" Bunny asked. The weight of the question was heavy, and Bulma was not sure she wanted to get into what happened that night.

"Nothing, Yamcha was being stupid. Vegeta's got a temper. Everything's okay now." Bulma tried to give a brief rundown of the basics, but she knew that wouldn't satisfy her mother.

"That sure didn't seem like nothing." Bunny said, remembering how panicked Bulma had been when she had run into the house, yelling for a phone to call Goku. "Did anyone get hurt?"

"No. I mean, not really."

"What does that mean?"

Bulma sighed, placing a hand on her hip as she ran her other hand through her hair. "Vegeta beat Yamcha up pretty badly…" she began, wanting to spare her mother the gruesome details of Yamcha's injuries, "…but he's okay. Goku took him to Korin's for a senzu bean to heal him up."

"Oh my..." Bunny trailed off, concern etched on her face. She tightened the ties to her night robe a little. "Why would Vegeta do that?"

"I don't know…" Bulma trailed off. It was only a half-truth. "They seemed pretty mad at each other already when we were at all the door."

"Ah, probably because of their phone conversation." Bunny murmured.

Bulma perked up an eyebrow. "What phone conversation?"

"After you and Vegeta fought at the dinner table and you took off, the phone rang. He answered it, and we guessed it was Yamcha, by the sounds of things. Whatever Yamcha said had set Vegeta off, and he tore out the phone from the wall."

"That explains_ that_ then." Bulma groused, now knowing what had happened in the kitchen. "Yamcha's mouth got him into more trouble. You know what he was telling Vegeta?!"

"What?"

"I don't think you even want to know, mom!" Bulma said, covering her face with her hands, sliding them downwards in frustration. She looked over at her mother, who remained silent, waiting for Bulma to go on. "He called Vegeta a stupid, monkey, and called Vegetasei a zoo planet full of monkeys, and he cursed at him and mocked his title, and said that Vegeta would never kill him because of _me_!" Bulma recalled, her voice growing in irritation and anger as her rant continued. "I can't believe he would say all those things, and to Vegeta! I mean, is he stupid?! Has he lost all common sense?! You don't go around _saying _those types of things to someone like him! Not if you want to live!"

Bunny stayed silent, solemn at what she was hearing. She couldn't believe after all these years, that Yamcha still harbored such negative feelings towards Vegeta that way. Sure, they never seemed to get along, but why so much resentment?

"And then Vegeta keeps telling him leave, and threatening to kill him if he didn't, and Yamcha didn't listen! He didn't care! He even spit blood onto Vegeta's face! How could he be so stupid?! Anyone else would have been dead already! But no, Vegeta just pulverized him, mom! He was so angry! I don't know how he managed not to kill Yamcha…" she trailed off, her voice suddenly trembling, remembering the fright she had when she thought Vegeta was going to kill Yamcha and forever burn the bridge between himself and the Z fighters.

"Oh now honey, Vegeta is always in control of himself. You didn't need to worry, he wouldn't have killed Yamcha." Bunny tried to comfort, mistaking Bulma's emotion for worry over her fiancée. She watched as tears came to her daughter's eyes, as she shook her head defiantly.

"No mom, that's not the point. He _should_ have. He _would_ have. But he didn't, for whatever reason. Because Vegeta probably thought I'd never forgive him if he did."

"If Vegeta had killed Yamcha, would you have forgiven him?"

Bulma reluctantly gave a small nod. "You don't know how terrible Yamcha was being towards Vegeta. The things that he said, the things he did. Yamcha was the one who tried to kill Vegeta first. He shot a ki beam at Vegeta's chest, powerful enough to know that he was trying to really hurt him."

Bunny gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth again. "I can't believe Yamcha would do that."

"Well he did. I saw it with my own eyes. Vegeta was okay though, it just made him madder. Yamcha did a lot of stupid things…" Bulma trailed off, raising her arm to show her mother the now darkened bruise on her arm.

"Honey, what happened to your arm?" Bunny asked worriedly, stepping closer to her and examining it. It wasn't a pretty sight to look at. "Did you get caught between them?"

Bulma shook her head. "No. This happened before they started fighting. Yamcha gave this to me."

Bunny's eyes widened a bit. "I'm guessing Vegeta didn't take too kindly to this."

Bulma bit her lip. "I guess not. He came and broke Yamcha's grip on me. That's when I noticed there was already so much anger and tension between them. Vegeta told him to leave, Yamcha refused. Then I told Yamcha to leave, and he grabbed my arm again, in the same spot. That's when Vegeta punched him clear across the yard and into the street."

"Oh sweetheart, he was protecting you!" Bunny started to swoon, finally putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Now the phone conversation made sense! Yamcha probably wanted to talk to Bulma, and that's when they heard Vegeta say no. She looked down at Bulma's bruise again. Yamcha must have grabbed her hard enough to cause her pain, which would explain why Vegeta punched him and they started to fight. For Yamcha to have so much resentment and anger towards Vegeta…and for Vegeta to have not killed Yamcha for the sake of Bulma's feelings….Bunny smiled. She was right, she knew it had to be something to do with her daughter. They were fighting over her!

"Protecting me? From Yamcha?" Bulma said puzzled, not understanding why her mother was suddenly so thrilled about this horrible incident that had happened last night.

"You know Vegeta and Yamcha have _never_ gotten along, ever since they've known each other. Haven't you ever thought about _why_?"

Bulma shrugged, lost as to the point her mother was trying to make. "I don't know. When they are apart from each other, they are fine. When they are together, they bicker all the time."

"No, that's not always true. There have been lots of times when Vegeta and Yamcha are together in the same room, or even in the same proximity, waiting for you. They ignore each other, for the most part…until you step into the picture."

Bulma threw her hands up a little in annoyance, not understanding what that had to do with anything. "Exactly. They just never have gotten along. I gave up on wondering why years ago, mom. Why are you asking about this now?"

"Because…" Bunny grinned, looking into Bulma's eyes. "They both have something that neither one of them has ever wanted to share."

"What?" Bulma asked, confused.

"You." Bunny swooned again, bringing her hands up to her heart, smiling. "It's always been about you, Bulma."

"Mom, don't start this again!" Bulma grumbled in annoyance, placing her hands firmly on her hips.

"Even after what happened tonight, you're still going to deny what's going on?"

"And _what_ would that be?" Bulma demanded an answer, waiting to hear it.

"They are fighting over you."

"Over _me_? There is nothing to fight over." Bulma insisted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You might not think so, but they certainly do." Bunny smiled, earning a stern look from her daughter. "But Bulma, can you really blame either one of them? You are intelligent. You are also very kind and giving. You are a beautiful woman, with an even more beautiful soul. You are also strong, and relentless, and fierce when it comes to what you want in life. How can they both _not_ love you? How can they both _not_ be jealous of the other? How can you expect both of them to _not_ demand to hold your heart?"

"Vegeta has made no such demands from me." Bulma said, trying to find a loophole in her mother's reasoning, which earned a snicker from Bunny.

"Oh sweetie, Vegeta doesn't have to demand it from you. You have already given him your heart."

Bulma turned red, unsure if it was from anger at her mother's audacity, or from a heated blush. "_If_ that was true, and Vegeta held my heart, then why would he be fighting over me?"

"Probably because he doesn't know it. Something to do with that ring on your finger, I'm guessing." Bunny said, gesturing at it. "As far as he knows, your heart is with Yamcha. It's still with Yamcha, isn't it?"

Bulma seethed in indescribable emotions, not knowing what to say. Her mother was right. Her heart swayed in Vegeta's direction. It had been like that already for some time now, made even more evident by the events of the past two days. Her dreams reflected it. Her thoughts were constantly on the tumultuous Saiyan prince. Nothing made it more clearer when she found herself more worried over Vegeta than her own fiancée, as he lied broken, bleeding, and dying. She felt she was a terrible person, feeling so distant towards the man she had been with for so many years…the man she was supposed to be marrying by the end of the week. "I don't know anymore." Bulma ground out, as she glanced over at her desk, seeing the incomplete gravity bracelet, and her blue gem nearby.

Bunny's eyes followed her daughter's gaze to the desk also, and she walked over, picking up the bracelet. "What's this?"

Bulma sighed. "A prototype."

"Of?"

"A gravity bracelet." Bulma answered, feeling as though she was apart from her very own self.

"For Vegeta?"

"For Vegeta."

Bunny nodded, gently placing it down, and then picked up the beautiful blue gem. "I remember when he brought this for you. I had told him it was a gorgeous gem." Bulma remained silent, swimming through her thoughts, as Bunny continued. "I asked Vegeta if he really wanted to give you this. I told him it was a custom on Earth to give jewels to someone you had a romantic interest in."

Bulma raised an eyebrow, momentarily distracted from her thoughts. "What did he say?"

Bunny smiled gently. "Oh, I'm sure you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

Bunny placed the gem down next to the gravity bracelet and looked at her daughter. "He said he knew."

Bulma felt her stomach flip-flop and her chest flutter as a heated blush went to her cheeks. "That doesn't mean anything, mom."

"That means he still gave it to you."

Bulma opened her mouth slightly to say something, but was at a loss for words. She snapped her mouth shut, unable to say anything. She sighed miserably, rubbing her forehead with one hand. "I don't know what to do."

"Here's what you should do. Go upstairs, go to bed and get some sleep. Talk to Yamcha tomorrow and see if there is still a wedding going on. Then go and fix Vegeta's machine like he's been asking you to do all day today."

"He hasn't been asking, he's been demanding!"

"You wouldn't have him any other way Bulma, and you know it." Bunny teased, gently coaxing her daughter away from her lab and up the stairs to their home. "And if there is not going to be a wedding for you on Earth, then maybe there will be one for you on Vegetasei soon enough."

"Mom!" Bulma groaned, embarrassed and annoyed. "Will you stop trying to get us together?!"

"Not until you and Vegeta realize how in love you both are. Now scoot." Bunny urged, gently pushing her daughter up the stairs that lead to her bedroom.

"I swear mom…" Bulma mumbled, reluctantly heading up the stairs to her bedroom.

"Good night dear, sweet dreams of your prince!"

"Mom!" Bulma scolded, closing her bedroom door in a huff. Bunny giggled, and looked at the clock. It was almost 4:30am. She had a few more hours, enough to get some more sleep in and be ready for the contractors who were coming over at 7am to repair the kitchen walls.

* * *

Bulma glanced at the clock, knowing she wasn't going to get much sleep again, as she let out an involuntary yawn. She quickly changed out of her clothes into her pajamas, telling herself she would take a shower in the morning. She crawled under her covers, reaching over to her lamp on the nightstand and turning the light off. Her room became dark as she closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep. The few hours that she had to sleep were horrible, not being able to rest as she tossed and turned, dreaming of different endings to the previous nights' events as Yamcha's ki beam went straight through Vegeta's heart, killing him almost instantly. She cried and screamed in her dream, grieving his loss, as her tears slid down her beautiful face onto her pillow. In another dream, Yamcha had started to yell at her, accusing her of being in love with Vegeta instead of him as he grabbed her and shook her hard, beginning to hurt her. She cried out in her sleep, horrified that he would hurt her like that. And yet in another dream, Vegeta had killed Yamcha, and they stood together as there were no longer any barriers to stop them from being with each other.

Bulma continued to have a fitful, restless sleep as she tossed and turned in her bed, dreaming of a Saiyan prince who was millions of light years away from her. At the same time that same Saiyan prince walked out to his balcony, gazing up into the stars, thinking of her.

* * *

Nice little twist in the story, huh? Now why did I choose Bardock to be the one that Vegeta confides in? Because I like to think in my story that he is somewhat of a neutral party compared to everyone else. Goku is torn between Bulma and Yamcha since they are both his friends. Nappa and Raditz, although his bodyguards and close comrades, are not someone that Vegeta would confide to. Tarble is still too young to understand the intricacies of what obstacles and hurdles Vegeta and Bulma have to go though. And it's not like Vegeta is the type to go to his parents with his problems, so I thought Bardock would be a good addition to this story.

So what did you think of the chapter? Things are getting interesting, wouldn't you say? I enjoyed writing this chapter very much, and I hope you liked it! Please leave a review and tell me what you thought!

Chapter 10 preview: There is a reason why we're all V/B fans, and the next chapter will reflect just that. Did I just tease you? Yes, I think I did.


	10. Divine Intervention

The chapter 10 preview teaser I left you was evil, wasn't it?

So…the reason we are all V/B fans?

They are the love story of a lifetime.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's only just begun! I leave you with this quote to ponder over as you read this next chapter. Enjoy!

'_And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.'_

* * *

**Chapter 10- Divine Intervention**

Bulma groaned miserably as the loud hammering and annoying construction noise awoke her. She huffed her bangs away from her face as she stiffly sat up in bed, attempting to stretch out her limbs. The nap she took on her lab desk had left her muscles sore and her restless tossing and turning all night did nothing to lessen the discomfort. She looked over at her clock, reading how early it was. _'I swear, I'm cursed to never get a good sleep ever again…' _she griped to herself, throwing her sheets and comforter off from herself in one big sweeping motion as her moodiness set in. Bulma reluctantly got out of bed, lazily making her way over to her closet to pick out an outfit, passing by her mirror when something caught her eye.

It made her stop and backtrack a couple of steps to look at herself. It was the dark bruise on her arm that had grabbed her attention. '_Crap, I forgot to put salve on it.' _she thought as she examined the purplish-blue mark on her fair skin. '_Stupid Yamcha!' _she thought grumpily, still taken back by how much force he had to have put on her arm to have caused it to bruise. She guessed her mother was right, perhaps Vegeta really _was_ trying to protect her.

Vegeta.

Bulma sighed half-heartedly, not knowing what to think or feel anymore when it came to him. Scratch that. She knew _exactly_ what she was thinking and feeling when it came to the prince. The difficult part was accepting and owning it. She inwardly cursed her logical, scientific mind. Were these feelings just circumstantial, or were they part of some larger grand design that she struggled to comprehend? Why was this equation so impossible to figure out? Lately she had been deeply confused and understandably doubtful about marrying Yamcha, but now after the events of last night she felt traitorous to him and even to her own self. When did this all start?! She wasn't supposed to have such thoughts and feelings and dreams towards Vegeta like this! She wasn't supposed to be so distant and cold-hearted to Yamcha, who had proclaimed himself to be her soul mate and the love of her life. This wasn't the way things were meant to happen, not when she was getting married to him in just a few days! '_Then again, I have to see if there is still a wedding to be had.' _Bulma thought, continuing to tread down a troubled path whose outcome even _she_ could not hypothesize.

She really _had_ wanted to go with Vegeta when he had asked her last night. And quite honestly, she was regretting her decision not to. She did not feel up to seeing Yamcha today at all. Sitting him down and having a talk with him about last night…amongst other things…seemed a daunting task. After all, their attempts at a talk last night had ended horribly, but it was what she had chosen to stay behind on Earth and do, so now she _had_ to do it. Bulma grumbled at her situation, glancing down at her bruise again and reminding herself to put salve on it as soon as she got out of the shower. She had an odd feeling telling her that showing up to Vegetasei with it would bring unwanted attention to not only her, but to Vegeta as well.

* * *

"Good morning sweetie!" Bunny's overly-chipper voice greeted Bulma, somehow still ringing out loud and clear over the construction noise going on next door in the kitchen as the contractors worked on restoring the phone lines and repairing the damaged walls.

"Morning." Bulma winced, annoyed at the noise as she descended the stairs into the living room. She glanced towards the direction of the kitchen. "Did you guys really have to make them come in so early?"

"Oh, the noise woke you, didn't it?" Bunny murmured apologetically. "I'm sorry honey, you probably didn't get much sleep, did you?"

"No." Bulma ground out sullenly, trying to shake off her grouchiness. "Maybe if I'm lucky, I can get a good night's sleep at least _once_ before I die."

Bunny frowned slightly at the morbid comment, but then perked up a bit. "I'm sure you'll get plenty of rest during your honeymoon." Bunny teased, expecting to see a blush cross her daughters face, only to be met with moodiness.

"I doubt it." Bulma scoffed. "There has to be a wedding first before there can be a honeymoon."

Bunny wasn't sure if her daughter was hinting that her wedding with Yamcha might not be a sure thing anymore. Bunny had been referring to her having a Saiyan honeymoon, like she had joked with Bulma last night about a Saiyan wedding, but apparently her daughter had not caught on to her attempt at humor. Sensing her daughter's grumpiness, she decided not to press either issue or idea. "Since the kitchen is under construction, I went to the bakery and got us some pastries to eat. I brought you a large cappuccino too."

Bulma instantly felt bad for her grouchiness after realizing what her mother did for them. "Aww mom, you didn't have to. Thank you though." she said, seeing the box of pastries on the coffee table, along with their coffees. She picked up her cappuccino and drank from it gratefully, knowing she would need the caffeine gods to show mercy upon her today. She was starting to run on empty. Hell, she was running on her reserve tank, and she needed all the energy she could get. "Where's dad?"

"He's at headquarters already. You know him, he works so hard! I managed to make sure he ate a cheese danish before he left." Bunny said proudly.

"Ah." Bulma commented, feeling bad that her father had an extra work load because of her upcoming wedding and the honeymoon vacation she would be going on. Her father had been extra busy lately, as he was trying to get as much of the 'executive' business part of the job done before she got married this weekend. She knew so many things were already starting to run behind schedule at Capsule Corp, and she vaguely wondered if Yamcha was really going to be okay with their life together once she took over the reins to the family business. Would he be able to cope, knowing that she was going to be obsessed over her work, drowning in deadlines, projects, inventions, experiments, press meetings, board meetings, and everything else that came with the job?

Bulma knew that her mother had been aware of what she was getting into when she agreed to marry her father. He was rarely home, and when he was, the majority of the time he was working in his home office or lab. Yamcha was a man who, when he was around, needed all of her love and attention, all the time. Many times throughout the years she was unable to give him that emotional support while she was preoccupied with her inventions and her family business, and it would cause horrible rifts between them. She was going to _always_ be busy and gone from home the majority of the time, just like her father. But that didn't mean a marriage couldn't work under such challenging and stressful conditions. Her mother and father made it work, and there seemed to be no bitterness or anger between them. If anything, it seemed to make those moments that they were together even _that much more_ meaningful and special.

'_With Yamcha it's the same old song and dance. The issues we have now are the same ones we've always had ever since we've been with each other. Vegeta and I are already apart a lot, and working all the time. At least it wouldn't be something new to us...if anything, he'd understand...and he's not clingy like Yamcha can be, although he does demand my attention, just in a different way…' _Bulma caught herself to what she was thinking, quickly turning away from her mother and looked out the window, trying to hide the blush that betrayed her cheeks. She then saw Yamcha's car parked outside, and for a moment she felt a jolt of panic run through her. "Yamcha's here?"

"Huh? Oh, no dear. It's just his car." Bunny said, walking over and looking out the window also. "He must have left it behind last night." she stated simply, not wanting to touch the sensitive subject too deeply.

Bulma was relieved. She didn't know what she was going to do if Yamcha had appeared on her doorstep again. She was unprepared to speak with him, and honestly, a little scared of having last night somehow repeat itself. She knew it was silly to worry now, since Vegeta was back home, but chances were that Yamcha and her would not have a very calm, amicable conversation, and if he got rough again, she was left on her own. She took a collective breath, steadying her nerves. What was she thinking? He was her fianceè. He loved her. Things just got out of hand because Vegeta was around. It would be different today. "All the well. I need to talk to him anyway, I might as well do it sooner than later." Bulma murmured, walking over to the key rack by their door and grabbing the capsule that held her motorbike. She put it in her pocket, and took another sip from her cappuccino as she looked at her mother. "I guess I'm going to go find him, since there's no way of calling him right now." she said, giving the kitchen area an evil glare again, as the hammering and sawing continued. "I'll be back soon."

Bunny nodded. "Ok, be careful." she said as Bulma opened the front door and began to head out. "Wait! Don't you want to eat something?" Bunny called out to her.

"Nah, I'll eat something when I get back." Bulma reassured, content to have only her cappuccino to keep her company as she went to track down the man she wasn't sure she loved completely anymore.

* * *

Bulma had spent the early morning searching for Yamcha. She had gone to his apartment first, looking at his empty designated parking spot. _When did things change?_, she wondered again. Chances were, any other time she would have towed his car away, or worse, probably have it taken apart for scrap metal and parts in retribution for the shit he had pulled the night before. Somewhere along the way her heart had begun to change, and she figured this was one of the symptoms of it. Bulma had gone up two flights of stairs to his door, and had knocked on it softly at first, nervousness and apprehension over washing her. She hadn't known what to expect from Yamcha, and more so, wasn't sure about knowing what to expect from herself. She had continued to stay there for a couple of minutes, continuing to knock loud enough that he would have heard it if he was there. Realizing Yamcha was not home had immediately relaxed Bulma's nerves, and she walked back down the stairs and took out her capsule again, pressing the button and releasing her motorbike in a brilliant puff of smoke. She hopped on it and left the apartment complex, headed to the next place she thought Yamcha might be.

Bulma had rode by the baseball stadium, expecting to see cars in the parking lot. She thought the Taitans might have had an early baseball practice, but the lot was almost completely void of cars. She furrowed her eyebrows a bit and shrugged to herself as she continued on her journey, heading to a smaller baseball complex a few miles away, thinking that maybe Yamcha's team was practicing there. She arrived at the smaller complex, only to find it empty as well. She huffed a bit in irritation, mostly feeling that this had been a waste of her time. She didn't even have her cell phone to try and call him either. She was slightly confused on Yamcha's whereabouts, but she wasn't exactly worried or mad about it either. It was a stark contrast to yesterday when she was irritated over Yamcha's missing presence at Capsule Corp, and livid at the inability to get in contact with him most of the day.

Bulma then decided to start making her way home. As she rode through the city streets, her mood began to lighten up more and more as she neared Capsule Corp. Now that she didn't have to spend her morning hashing things out with Yamcha, she could go to Vegetasei and get an early start on repairing Vegeta's gravity machine. Spending a day on her beloved red planet sure as hell beat spending the day on Earth. As she passed the security gates without a hitch and drove through the winding roads of the complex, she couldn't help but notice the bad shape the ground and their landscaping was in as she neared her home. There was uprooted dirt and earth and rocks and grass all over the place, not to mention a few craters here and there. Bulma bit her lower lip, seeing more evidence of the fight from last night that she hadn't been able to see in the dark. She had been lost in thought as she pulled up to the front door of her dome-shaped home and turned off the engine to her motorbike, as Goku suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Goku!" Bulma said, partly startled, and partly excited. "Good morning! I swear I'll never get used to you doing that!"

Goku grinned. "Good morning, Bulma! Sorry, didn't mean to startle ya. I came to see if you were ready to go to Vegetasei, since I'm headed there right now."

"No worries." Bulma said as she looked into the smiling face of her best friend. "And I was just going to try to call you also so you could take me! Perfect timing! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you planned this out." she joked.

Goku scratched the back of his head sheepishly with one hand. "It's not like I was following you or anything." he said as he laughed a little too nervously for his own good. He saw Bulma eye him with veiled suspicion, and he suddenly felt exposed, thinking he had given it away. It's not like she needed to know that Vegeta had set him to be her bodyguard while he was off-planet! Goku had been keeping tabs on Bulma's ki since he felt her wake up, tracking her as she left her home and traveled to Yamcha's apartment. He had teleported there, making sure to stay out of her sight as he watched over her protectively, just in case Yamcha showed up. Goku had watched her take off and followed her energy signal to the baseball stadium, teleporting there also. He figured Yamcha wouldn't be around yet, but he couldn't be sure. If he had shown up there, he doubted he would have an all out argument with Bulma in front of his teammates and other people, but he couldn't be too careful. It was the job that Vegeta entrusted him with, and he would have followed her and stayed nearby her all day if he had to.

After the conversation he had with Yamcha the night before, and this morning...he wasn't going to put anything past him now.

"Really?" Bulma said suspiciously, raising an eyebrow up in curiosity, knowing _something_ was up, but not knowing what. Was he covering for Yamcha? Did Goku know where he was at? "You wouldn't happen to know where Yamcha is, would you, Goku?"

The look on his face darkened a bit. Yes, he knew where Yamcha was at.

Was he going to tell her? Not at all.

To tell the truth, Goku wasn't sure Yamcha would still want to be his friend after what he had done to him. Yamcha would _never_ understand the reason behind it.

Hell, Bulma would flip out if she knew. Forget Bulma! Vegeta would be the one that went into a rage over what he was doing. Honestly, Goku hoped he could keep his mouth shut about things. All he wanted to do was bring Bulma to Vegetasei and get going with what he discussed with his father this morning.

Goku shook his head 'no', lying to her about Yamcha's whereabouts, and as he did so, he couldn't help but wonder….had the fates decided this? Or the stars? Or the Kai's? Whatever the divine beings and forces that resided in the universe had planned for Bulma and Yamcha, or Bulma and Vegeta, he did not know. And although Goku knew he _should_ feel like he was meddling, everything inside of him told him that what he was doing was right. And who was he to question the fates, if they decided to use him and others as a tool? Goku could not feel bad about what he had done to Yamcha….not after the disturbing talk he had with him the night before. He still considered Yamcha a friend, but Bulma was like a sister to him, and he was afraid that his blue-haired best friend was blind to the truth of things. After talking with his father earlier this morning, it only brought to him a more deeper, relaxed, calming sense that they were helping to fix a mistake that never should have happened.

There was a blurred line between fate and free will, so as the divine forces continued to weave an intricate tapestry of destiny, Goku hoped that Vegeta and Bulma would decide for themselves the path in life they decided to take with each other, now that they would have their chance.

Bulma was quick to notice Goku's darkened demeanor, as he looked lost in deep, disturbed thought. "How did things go last night….at Korin's?" she asked softly.

"Good. Got the beans to Yamcha just in time. He's all healed now." Goku kept it short, sweet, and to the point, knowing it would be wise to leave out Vegeta's visit to the Tower.

"That's good." Bulma murmured, knowing there had to be something more to it than just that. "Did he…say anything…about what happened?" she asked tentatively.

Goku sighed, knowing Bulma was just trying to get a read on what Yamcha's current state of mind was. After talking things over with Yamcha this morning, he knew exactly what Yamcha's feelings were towards this situation. Goku would not tell her of their conversation that morning, but he felt he owed it to his best friend to tell her briefly about what they had discussed the night before. "I had told him he was lucky to be alive. He didn't think luck had anything to do with it. He was pretty confident about Vegeta not ever being able to kill him."

Bulma clicked her tongue to the roof of her mouth. "Yeah, I gathered that much as well." At seeing Goku's confused look, she explained herself. "I had overhead them as they were fighting. I heard him use me as his 'shield.' You wouldn't _believe_ some of the things he said to Vegeta."

"Oh, I can imagine." Goku said. "He made Vegeta pretty angry. I don't think I've ever seen him so angry before. I'm glad you called me over in time. If not…" he trailed off, as the implications were not lost on both of them.

"Yeah, thanks again Goku. You're a great friend." Bulma smiled at him, subtly letting him know that she wanted to drop the subject, which Goku was all too happy to oblige. "So, how about we get to Vegetasei? Come inside…" she gestured as she got off her motorbike and capsulated it, heading to her front door, "…just gonna grab something to eat, and grab something from my lab, then we'll head over there. My mom brought pastries if you want some."

"Sounds great, thanks!" Goku said light-heartedly, as he followed Bulma inside her home. "And I'm starving too!" he said, covering his stomach with a hand, laughing as it growled in confirmation. "Chi-Chi made me breakfast, but I'm still hungry."

"Goku, you're always hungry!" Bulma laughed as she left Goku in her living room with her mother, whisking off to her lab to grab some back-up discs for the data she needed to download from her lab on Vegetasei. Meanwhile, Goku had greeted Bunny and helped himself to a few pastries as he waited for Bulma.

* * *

After grabbing the discs from her lab, Bulma took a detour and went to her bedroom, wanting to change her outfit into something more appropriate for Vegetasei. She chuckled to herself...appropriate for Vegetasei would be if she showed up dressed in Saiyan armor. She scanned through her wardrobe wanting to look extra nice today since she hadn't seen everyone in a long time. After deciding on an outfit and changing into it, she went to her vanity to touch up her makeup and lipstick, and fix her hair since it had been whipped around while riding her motorbike.

Ten minutes later, Bulma descended the stairs to the living room, dressed in a black strapless tube top and a short, dark blue jean skirt. Her outfit showed a hint of midriff, and her skirt was long enough to be appropriate, but short enough to show off her shapely thighs and legs. She wore a comfortable pair of strappy black sandals, and her aqua-blue hair was elegantly pinned up and held together by black ivory chopsticks, a couple of thick strands framing her beautiful face. She was dressed for the warmer climate of Vegetasei, and her outfit was simple but sophisticated, flirtatious but tasteful. She was beaming with happiness, the sparkle in her eye was unmistakable. She couldn't wait to get there.

"Oh sweetie, you look gorgeous!" Bunny gushed. She hadn't seen Bulma dressed up and looking so nice in quite a while, mostly because lately she hadn't had much of a reason to be.

Goku smiled at seeing how dolled up his best friend got. "There you are. Wow, you look great, Bulma! Just _who's_ attention are you trying to get? "he joked.

A light blush graced Bulma's cheeks."No one's! I just want to look nice today. It's not everyday I get to go to Vegetasei, you know. It's been months…almost a year, actually..," she covered for herself, self-consciously smoothing out her jean skirt of imaginary wrinkles.

"Oh, you're going to Vegetasei _right now_?" Bunny asked, surprised as she looked at Goku first in veiled excitement, and then at the clock. It was barely going to be 9am. "Did you talk to Yamcha already?"

"No, I couldn't find him. He wasn't at his apartment, and he wasn't at baseball practice. And I don't have time to waste all day trying to find him." Bulma said, shrugging her bare shoulders. She knew she should be making more of an effort to find her fiancée and talk with him, but at the moment, she didn't care to. She just wanted to go to Vegetasei, see everyone, and work on Vegeta's machine. She was so close to breaking free from her imaginary bonds on Earth, she could taste it.

"Well okay honey, have a nice time! Oh! Why don't you take Vegeta a cupcake? I think he'd like that." Bunny said, motioning over to a second box of pastries that Bulma hadn't noticed earlier.

"You read my mind." Bulma said, opening up the box and seeing a variety of cupcakes in it. She could tell Goku had already gotten into the box, seeing how half of the cupcakes were already gone. "Mom, did you happen to get marble ones?"

Bunny smiled. _Of course_ her daughter would make sure to get Vegeta his favorite ones. "Yes, I think they are the ones with chocolate sprinkles and butter cream frosting."

Bulma selected one that her mother had described and peeled back the liner, biting into it. She saw it was indeed a marble swirl cupcake, and she couldn't help but smile. She knew Vegeta would enjoy it every much. It was delicious. She proceeded to place two of the marble cupcakes into one of her hands, holding her own cupcake in the other. She looked at Goku with a smile. "Ready, Goku?"

"Yep!" Goku nodded, finishing off his last cupcake as he lightly rubbed his hands together, brushing crumbs off of them. He placed his hand on Bulma's shoulder, ready to teleport them to Vegetasei.

"Oh, Bulma dear, don't forget! The dressmakers are coming by later today for your final dress fitting." Bunny reminded her. "I'm not sure you can postpone it any longer."

"I'm just going to be gone for a few hours, mom. It shouldn't take me long to fix Vegeta's gravity room and see everyone. I'll be back in time for the fitting." Bulma said hurriedly, a nervous excitement filling her as she silently pleaded to her mother with her eyes to just let her leave.

"Alright sweetie, just don't forget. And tell Vegeta and everyone I say hi." Bunny said, as she looked at Goku meaningfully for a moment. He nodded once at her. The exchange between them was lost on Bulma as she nodded her agreement, eager to get going. Goku then touched two fingers to his forehead. Bulma's face beamed with happiness as Goku took on an intense look of concentration as he used his instant transmission to teleport them to Vegetasei.

Bunny watched as they zapped out of sight, and she smiled…a conspiratorial smile…as she walked over to the phone in the living room and picked up the receiver, hearing a dial tone. Finally! '_It pays to be rich and powerful sometimes, it gets the job done quickly.'_ she thought to herself as she dialed a number, waiting for the other side to pick up. She had called the dressmakers, telling them to bring the wedding dress and leave it at Capsule Corp, but to not expect Bulma to try it on or to plan on any alterations for it that day. She smiled as the dressmakers reluctantly agreed.

Bunny hung up the phone, grabbed her croissant and sat down, crossing her legs as she munched on the pastry. She knew her daughter would not be home on time today, if _at all_. It didn't take a genius to know that her daughter would more than likely spend all day on Vegetasei. Even so, one could never be too careful as she, Bardock, and Goku made sure that Bulma and Vegeta would spend some quality time together today.

* * *

In the blink of a moment, Bulma found herself on her beloved red planet, inside the grand mess hall, where many of the Saiyan militia were finishing up on their breakfast. Everyone noticed Goku's sudden appearance as their scouters briefly blipped from the ki spike, since it was a regular occurrence for Goku to appear out of nowhere. At first they paid him no real attention…until they noticed the special parcel he had brought along with him. Most of the soldiers paused momentarily, gazing upon the blue-haired beauty as their tails swished happily, glad to see their favorite human female back on their planet again. The mess hall greeted her with resounding cheers and whistles, bringing a blush to Bulma's cheeks as she greeted everyone back happily. The soldiers then quickly returned to their food and light chatter, knowing they had training and sparring to do soon. Some gave each other knowing looks, finding Bulma's sudden presence back on Vegetasei quite a coincidence after all. The rumors going around about their prince's arrival last night had spread like wildfire.

"Figures you'd land us here." Bulma chucked as Goku gave her a sheepish grin.

"I told you I was hungry!" Goku chuckled, avoiding a gentle, playful elbow in the stomach by Bulma as he seemingly scurried off to grab some food before the kitchen shut down to clean and get ready for the lunch rush. She lost track of him as she shook her head in amusement. She turned and walked out of the mess hall, greeting random Saiyans as she freely traveled through the palace, carefully carrying the cupcakes she held in her hands. She wondered where Vegeta was at, but then she wasn't quite sure how she would feel about seeing him after the craziness of last night. Was he still irritated that she hadn't come with him? What would she feel when she saw him?

The guards nodded their heads at Bulma in recognition as she made her way outside the palace through a side exit, deciding to cross through the beautiful courtyard and take the scenic route. She took a deep breath, relishing in the freshness of the new day as she looked up into the reddish morning sky, silently greeting the twin suns that shone down upon her. She continued to walk through the lush, perfectly landscaped courtyard, making her way over to the huge science division, until she saw Nappa and Raditz nearby. She looked around. Well, if _they_ were nearby, then that meant Vegeta had to be around also. His familiar black flame of hair caught her attention as she scanned over the Saiyans, and her face immediately betrayed a scowl as she saw him outside in the courtyard also, surrounded by quite a handful of female Saiyans vying for his attention and possible affections.

Bulma rolled her eyes and scoffed, suddenly feeling twinges of jealousy hit her. She wasn't sure what had just gotten into her, but seeing Vegeta surrounded by all those beautiful, strong, Saiyan females made her feel territorial. She continued to stand there a moment, looking at Vegeta, as if she was expecting him to come to her.

Vegeta had felt Bulma's ki signal the moment Goku had arrived on Vegetasei with her. His tail had swished contently, pleased that Goku had taken care of her, and glad to finally have her here with him. Perhaps the females gathered around him had mistakenly misread his contentment, because after seeing their prince seeming to enjoy their company, their flirtatiousness and flattery was given to him triple-fold. Each of them were trying their hardest to gain the prince's attention. As the women talked with him, he kept his arms crossed across his chest, not paying them much attention as he followed Bulma's energy signal throughout the palace and coincidentally outside to the courtyard where he had currently been, waiting around for the Acrosians to arrive at the conference room so he could get on with the damned meetings.

Vegeta subtly studied her as she strolled across the courtyard. She was hard to miss. The flash of blue hair and fair skin, amongst the sea of black hair and tanned skin, stood out like a lit match in the darkness. And like a moth to the flame, he was inexplicably and irrevocably drawn to her. He felt her gaze on him as Vegeta excused himself from the group of females hovering around him, walking across the courtyard to seek out the human female, much to the disappointment of the female Saiyans. Some of them saw Bulma and glared at her, while others knew they had no chance with the prince when it came down to them against the genius, exotic alien beauty.

Vegeta approached Bulma, perking an eyebrow up at her. "You're here early."

"Observant, aren't we?" Bulma said slyly, holding out her arm that held two cupcakes, giving him a teasing smile. "Here, I brought these for you."

"Trying to appease me, woman?" Vegeta smirked, taking the cupcakes from her hand, unraveling the liner from one of them as he began to eat it. It was his favorite type of cupcake. His tail swung lazily behind him in contentment, as he enjoyed not only the cupcake, but the other treat that currently stood in front of him.

"_Me_? Appease _you_? Never." Bulma smirked right back as she took another bite from her cupcake, enjoying their moment of bantering and peace between them. It was obvious he was not irritated with her about last night, and the fact that he left that group of women around him to come to her had ignited a sense of satisfaction within her…she trumped them, and Bulma rewarded Vegeta with a brilliant smile. "I have some extra time to kill, so I figured I'd come early and get a head start on fixing your machine."

"It's about time you got your priorities straight." Vegeta mused, taking another bite from his second cupcake as Bulma playfully hit him on his arm, earning her a curious look from him.

"You better enjoy being my number one today, because it won't last long." Bulma said, finishing up her cupcake.

"Oh really? Scar-face isn't on the top of your list today?" Vegeta said, his curiosity piqued.

"No, not today." Bulma said simply, not wanting to taint their pleasantries with talk of her fiancée.

"I take it your talk with him didn't go well?" he said in a sarcastic tone, glancing over her to see if she had any other visible wounds on her that he might have missed from the previous night.

"There was no talk to be had. I couldn't find him this morning. Doesn't matter…" Bulma said, waving a hand in the air as if she was swatting away a fluttering insect, "…I have more important things to do than track him down today."

"Hn." Vegeta said as he continued to look her over. He knew Goku had stayed near her to protect her, but he needed to make sure as his dark eyes quickly roved over her exposed flesh, taking in her voluptuous body in the process. He wasn't sure why Bulma seemed to stand out so much to him today. It wasn't like he _never_ saw her body before. In fact, he'd seen her in bikinis when she went swimming plenty of times, yet she never seemed as appealing to him as she did that very moment. His troubled thoughts quickly disappeared as he saw the yellow-beige tinge on her arm, the remnants of her bruise from the night before. His handsome features darkened as his eyebrows furrowed.

Bulma felt her stomach flip-flop as butterflies fluttered within it, unsure if she wanted to analyze the thoughtful look on his face. She saw his look suddenly turn serious, and she followed his eyes to where they were looking. "It's almost gone." she said in a quieter tone, not wanting any prying ears to hear her.

Vegeta took a step closer to her, taking his eyes off of her arm and looked into the endless oceanic depths of her blue eyes. "The salve didn't work?"

"It did, I just forgot to put some on last night. I barely put some on a couple of hours ago." she admitted, wondering why he cared so much about her arm. It wasn't like Yamcha had broken it. In fact, it was almost fully healed. Maybe Vegeta was concerned that she wouldn't be able to work on his machine? "Dont' worry, I'll be able to work on your gravity room."

"I'm not worried, woman." he said in a softer tone, glancing off to the side, seeing that he and Bulma were holding the attention of many other Saiyans in the vicinity. He inwardly grumbled as he turned his attention back to Bulma. "You should go see Bardock."

"Oh, so you're _not_ worried, huh? Sounds like you are." Bulma lightly teased him, as he gave her a stern glare.

"Go fix my machine, woman."

"Only if you say please."

"Don't start with me." Vegeta softly warned, no real threat in his voice as he kept tabs on his behavior with her. What was it about the woman that made him drop his guard? What was it about her that could make him feel like nothing else mattered other than what was going on between them?

"You're such a grouch." Bulma murmured gently, taking a step closer to him as she reached up to smooth out a ruffle in his red cape around the button-clasp of his shoulder armor. It was another token of affection, a subtle one, but one that spoke volumes. Vegeta watched her actions, intrigued and confused. Rare were moments like this between them when there was no bickering, arguing, or yelling. He of all people enjoyed that inner fire of hers, and even though she could drive him to insanity, she was one of the very few people that could hold her ground to him in a battle of wits.

As much as he enjoyed ruffling Bulma's feathers, it didn't mean he didn't like being able to get along with her from time to time.

"Just add it to the list." Vegeta mused, earning a playful roll of Bulma's eyes at him.

Bulma, satisfied with unfolding that wrinkle near the clasp, retracted her hand reluctantly from him. "It's getting to be a very big list, Vegeta. You're running out of room." she mused also, smiling slyly at him as she looked him over. He was dressed in his 'business' gear. His bodysuit was black instead of the usual dark blue, and his armor was blood red, trimmed with a pearly white outline. He looked every bit like the prince that he was, standing strong and unyielding, as his cape moved gently in the light breeze. Saiyan or not, Bulma couldn't to deny herself the honest fact that Vegeta was a handsome man. Had it taken this many years for her to notice it, or had she known all along? It seemed like everything about him was designed to draw her in, everything from his dark, dangerous eyes, to his handsome face, from his physique to his intelligence, from his wit and dark humor to his self-assured arrogance and unrelenting pride. Her mother was right, Vegeta was her match in every way...not to mention his good looks _did_ rival her own. Not that she would ever tell him…his ego was already larger than life. Her eyes must have been roving over him for longer than she thought, as she then saw a strange glint in his dark eyes.

"See something you like, woman?"

"Wouldn't _you_ like to know?" Bulma cleverly responded back, recovering quickly from her dangerous thoughts as she flashed Vegeta a flirtatious smirk, crossing her arms under her bosom, daring him to play with her.

Vegeta eyed her, unsure of what game she wanted to play with him, but he would not back down from Bulma's challenge. Hell, two could play this game. "Actually, I _would_ like to know." he coaxed, borderline flirting with her. He didn't have time to try to analyze his behavior with her. Whatever was going on between them, it was happening. It didn't make sense, but at that moment, it didn't have to. Bulma bit her lower lip slightly as Vegeta's tone of voice suddenly sounded so appealing to her. She was quickly losing some of her resolve to play with him as those butterflies began to flutter in her stomach again.

"Your armor looks good." she decided to say, trying to side-step what she had really thought about him only a few moments ago.

"I know I look good." Vegeta arrogantly said, tilting his chin upwards a bit in pride.

"I didn't say _you_ looked good." Bulma said, rolling her eyes at his arrogance as she couldn't help the amused smile that graced her lips.

"You didn't have to, woman." he said, returning her flirtatious smirk from earlier.

"Didn't we already talk about this last night? By human standards, you're ugly." Bulma teased, reverting back to the very dinner topic that had caused a rift between them the night before.

"And by Saiyan standards, you're hideous." Vegeta said, not missing a beat. "Like I said, you stand out like a sore thumb around here."

"Hmph. This place needs a little more color if you ask me." Bulma said, pretending to flip her hair behind her shoulder, mocking his arrogance as she tilted her chin up also.

"Is that so? I suppose that's why I seek you out." Vegeta said, watching as Bulma gave him a curious look.

"Aww Vegeta, do you miss having me around?"

"No. I miss having a functioning gravity machine. I'll bare to stand your blue hair and blue eyes around here if that means you'll fix it." he smirked, seeing her start to pout.

"You're impossible, you know that, right?" Bulma huffed out, irritated that he had the upper hand in their banter now as she playfully stuck her tongue out at him.

"So I've been told." Vegeta responded, his tail curling and uncurling in complete enthrallment of the blue-haired woman in front of him. Suddenly his scouter beeped as he received a call. He quickly lowered the red eyepiece over his left eye and pressed a button. "What is it, Tarble?" he growled out a bit, annoyed that his rare moment of playfulness and flirtation with the woman was being interrupted. He listened to his brother and let out a irritated sigh. "I'll be right there." and with that, Vegeta pressed the same button on his scouter, ending the transmission. He looked at Bulma, almost regretfully. "I have to go. The Arcrosians are ready." he grumbled, their moment effectively ruined.

"Ah yes, intergalactic conferences. Sounds fun." Bulma muttered in sarcasm. She was no stranger to them at all. Still, she didn't think they were as bad as the boring Capsule Corp board room meetings she had back on Earth. She sighed, not wanting to end their rare moment of peace and playfulness either. "So you'll be stuck all day in the conference room?"

"Unfortunately."

Bulma frowned. "That sucks. I don't have to be involved in any of the discussions, do I?"

"Not as far as I know." Vegeta said, curling his tail back around his waist. "Although that may change once my parents find out you are here."

"You didn't tell them I was coming here today?"

"No."

"Alright, well if you're still in there by the time I'm done fixing the gravity room, I might join in anyway. I've been gone for so long, I have no idea what's going on around here anymore! At least I can keep you company...we can both be horribly bored out of our minds together." Bulma smiled at Vegeta, trying to get him to lighten up about being stuck in intergalactic meetings all day.

"I don't want your company in there."

"What if _I_ want yours?" Bulma reasoned, suddenly feeling a wave of heat hit her cheeks. She wasn't sure if she meant for her honest words to come out the way they did.

Vegeta sighed, looking past her, off into the distance. The tip of his tail flicked against his hip. "You are not here to work. You are here to fix my gravity room."

"That's _work_, Vegeta." Bulma said, studying him as he seemed deep in contemplation.

"It's not the same. Now get to fixing my machine, woman." he said, gently pushing her away from him and towards the direction of his gravity room.

"Alright, alright. You're so pushy." Bulma huffed a bit, placing her hands on her hips. "I swear Vegeta, all you ever want me to do is fix your machines."

"Not true. Sometimes I want you to shut up also." he baited her, smirking as Bulma glared at him in a veiled warning.

"You want to be number four again?" she threatened lightly.

"Tch. You're on my planet now. Your threats mean nothing to me." Vegeta chuckled casually, continuing to bait her into a light verbal spar.

"It's my planet too, Vegeta." Bulma countered, as the prince's scouter flashed and beeped again, more urgently this time. They both knew why he was being contacted, as it effectively ended their verbal spar before it really had a chance to begin.

"Hn." the prince acknowledged. "We'll continue this later."

"Right." Bulma nodded, knowing that his royal duties awaited him. "See ya later then?"

"Maybe." was all he could tell her, as Vegeta turned around and walked away from her, reluctantly heading inside the palace to the grand conference room. The more steps he took away from her and to the meeting room, the grumpier he became. Why was he being forced to spend his day surrounded by politics and negotiations, when he would much rather enjoy the woman's company?

* * *

Bulma sighed half-heartedly, watching Vegeta walk away from her. She knew he hated the diplomatic meetings as much as she hated mindless, boring business conferences at Capsule Corp. She looked around, watching as dark eyes quickly looked away from her, feeling as though she was under a microscope being studied. She shook off the feeling as she decided to head to the medical ward and see Bardock first, before going to work on Vegeta's machine. It would be nice to see him and she could get more healing salve on her arm while she was at it also.

"It's nice to see a little color around here." Bardock grinned as Bulma strolled through the medical ward, heading over to give him a big hug.

"It's nice to be back! I've missed you Bardock, it's good to see you." Bulma replied, as he returned a gentle hug back to her.

"It's good to see you also, Bulma. You're a breath of fresh air around here. Speaking of, what brings you to Vegetasei? Oh, wait. Let me take a wild guess…you're here to fix Vegeta's machine?" Bardock said slyly.

"Of course, why _else_ would I be here?" Bulma joked, as she looked around the medical bay. "_That_, and I've missed being here. I hate being Earthbound sometimes…" she grumbled, mindlessly toying with the hem of her skirt. "I wish there was more need of me to be over here."

Bardock looked at Bulma incredulously. "Bulma, you're _always_ in need around here. There are machinery and spacecrafts that need _constant_ repair and maintenance. There are always Saiyans that need to be healed, and I'm sure the King and Queen want you around during negotiations, since you're as much a part of the royal family business _here_ as you are in your own back home."

Bulma sighed half-heartedly. "I know Bardock, I know. But sometimes it doesn't feel that way though."

"We all know you have a life on Earth, Bulma. You have responsibilities there that are just as demanding and tasking as they are here. We know, and that's why we're not having Kakarot constantly bring you here…not when we can handle things ourselves." Bardock assured, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "When we run across something we can't handle, you better believe we'll go get you."

"Yeah, I guess. But you better get the word out...no matter _how_ busy I am, or how busy everyone _thinks_ I am, if I'm needed for anything, I better be told."

"Bulma, the only one who doesn't care how about busy you are is Vegeta. And it seems like he has _no problem_ letting you know that." Bardock teased knowingly, watching as Bulma seemingly became embarrassed. "Then again, you don't seem to mind interrupting your busy schedule for him."

"Bardock, I swear you've been talking with my mother." Bulma murmured, glancing away from his piercing gaze as she pretended to look around and observe the room. "I'm here because Vegeta needs _me_ to fix his machine, which means he must have really damaged it if the mechanics here couldn't repair it. Then again, I can't complain. I've missed Vegetasei so much, and I'll accept any reason to come here. I'm glad to be home." she said the last part softly, knowing it would fill Bardock with great pride to know that after all these years, she still considered Vegetasei her home away from home.

"And I'm glad also. Now, let me look at that bruise." Bardock said, taking her arm and holding it out to examine it, seeing the yellowish-beige mark on her arm. His face betrayed his concern…it was larger than he had initially thought.

"Vegeta told you?" she asked.

"He did." Bardock said, trying to imagine what the bruise must have looked like when it was fresh and darkened on her skin. "Why didn't the salve work as well as it should have? Did you not put enough?"

Bulma shook her head. "It's my fault. I forgot to put some on last night. In fact, I just put some on a couple of hours before I got here. It doesn't look too bad, if you ask me."

"Well, let's get some more salve on you then." Bardock said, glancing over at the time displayed on a computer screen, before heading over to grab a tube of healing gel. Bulma held out her arm lazily as he rubbed a different colored salve on her than she was used to seeing. "This will work faster. I engineered a new formula that absorbs quickly into the skin and penetrates the dermal tissue faster, repairing wounds in half the time."

"You're brilliant, Bardock!" Bulma gushed, feeling the salve soak into her skin and tissues. "This will be gone in no time! Have you used those same intensive healing properties for the gel in the rejuvenation tanks?"

"Of course I have. And who better to test it on, than Vegeta?" Bardock chuckled. "His wounds heal in almost half the time they normally would take."

Bulma furrowed her eyebrows slightly, not liking to hear the implications of how injured Vegeta always got. "He's relentless with his training and his sparring. I swear one of these days he's going to get himself killed. You aren't letting him overdo it over here, are you?" she eyed Bardock suspiciously.

"No, no, we monitor him very closely. Besides, half the time he's not even here, he's on Earth with spending time with you. I mean...he's on Earth _training._" Bardock smirked, giving her a knowing look, watching as a blush graced the beautiful scientists' cheeks. "After all, you and Vegeta are a packaged deal. Can't have one without the other. Amazingly, one of you can never be too long without the other either…" Bardock trailed off, grinning mischievously as Bulma rolled her eyes, placing one hand on her hip, and shook a pointed finger at Bardock with the other.

"Ohhhh no you don't! Don't _you_ start either! It's bad enough I have to hear it from my mother, and now you? There is nothing going on between us!"

"Sure there isn't. Just keep telling yourself that." Bardock smiled, gently turning Bulma around and guiding her out of the medical ward. "Now get to fixing Vegeta's machine. The sooner you finish, the sooner you can spend some time with him."

"Bardock!" Bulma complained as she was being led out of the medical ward. He dropped the subject as he waved goodbye to her, promptly shutting the entrance doors to the bay. She huffed, giving Bardock a glare through the door window as she turned and walked off, shaking her head. She couldn't believe it! And as Bulma swore to herself again that Bardock and her mother were somehow in league with each other, she headed over to the gravity room. She was anxious to see what damage Vegeta had caused to the gravity room that warranted her such a rare visit to Vegetasei. It was a visit that was not unwanted though, as she mentally prepared herself for the amount of work she might have to do.

Meanwhile, Bardock couldn't wipe the smirk off of his face as he sat down on a chair, leaning back on it. He crossed one ankle over the other, clasping his fingers together as they cradled the underside of his head. By now, Kakarot should have done what he had asked him to do, and a conspiratorial smile crossed his lips.

He told Vegeta that he would find a way to get him out of his meetings.

* * *

So, where _is_ Yamcha, and what _exactly_ did Goku do to him? Looks like Bunny, Bardock, and Goku have something up their sleeves, but what?! And things are starting to warm up between Vegeta and Bulma, but is it too late now? Is there still a wedding to be had? So many questions! Thanks for reading, everyone! Please leave a review and tell me what you thought of this chapter! I'm eager to hear what you're feeling!

And by the way, what a great response from the last chapter! Thank you all so much for reading it and leaving reviews! I was happy to know that all of you are liking where this story is going! I'm glad Bardock got such positive reviews also!


	11. The Web I Spin For You

Hello my lovely readers! That is….if any of you are still following this story after my long absence. Sorry for being gone so long, I can't blame you if you're frustrated with me. It's been a month. One very long month. Honestly, I wasn't sure when I was going to be able to write and update my story. My father-in-law passed away very suddenly about a month ago. It turned things upside down. We had a quick funeral to deal with, and my mother-in-law had to move in with us. During this abrupt adjustment, we've had to help her move and support her financially since she's been left with nothing. Also my job sent me to a different store and put me on the closing shifts, so I have a longer drive to and from work, and come home much later than I used to. Did I mention I had a dental emergency also? Three visits to the dentist, one for a root canal three weeks ago, reconstruction of the tooth last week, and a crown put on it this week.

My stress level has been high, work has been tiring and long, and it's just been a very trying and stressful past few weeks. I've been trying my best to work on this story as I found the time, but honestly with everything going on, my inspiration and focus has not been around as much as I wanted it to be. I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to get this chapter out to you, but I do promise to finish this story. I have another 5 or 6 chapters on the way, so I hope you'll continue to stick with me throughout this journey.

On a more positive note, I'm very happy to be presenting you with the next installment of our favorite DBZ couple. I really hope you enjoy it, please let me know what you think!

A/N: I do own Dragonball Z. On DVD. Speaking of, three of my seasons are missing (my husband lent them to one of his coworkers). It's not like I have the time to watch them, but still, knowing that they are gone still bugs me.

* * *

**Chapter 11- The Web I Spin For You**

'_Fucking hell.._' Bulma quietly cursed to herself, seeing the damage that Vegeta had caused to the gravity room as she cautiously entered. Standing momentarily awe-stricken by the destruction, she was not quite sure what to think at first. She snapped out of her daze as it was quickly replaced by a heightened sense of irritation and frustration. "Damaged the power core and control panel, my ass." she muttered to herself as she carefully made her way through broken and bent pieces of metal, wiring, plastic, and stepping over other unrecognizable debris that littered the gravity room. The damage was much worse than Vegeta had first led her to believe.

Bulma walked over to the main power core that _used to be_ in the middle of the room. The power core not only had a hole in it, but it was also completely disconnected at the top where it had once reached the ceiling. Now it tilted sideways, perched precariously against the side of one of the gravity room's walls. _'Well he sure wasn't exaggerating about blowing a hole through this..' _she thought as she saw straight through to the other side of the wall. She shook her head slightly and proceeded to walk over to the control panel, seeing it thoroughly bent inwards, '…_or smashing this…'_ she finished her thought as Bulma placed a hand on her hip and sighed in aggravation. She pulled one of thicker strands of hair that framed her face behind her ear, still assessing the damage to the gravity room. Aside from the power core being out of commission, the large flat screen monitor was wrecked, as well as the wiring to the video feed, and the metal frame that held it. She glanced downward distastefully, seeing the majority of the floor was demolished as large jagged chunks of flooring were upheaved. The tiles were broken, cracked, and mostly turned into rubble. The once sturdy walls were in no better shape. Bulma glanced upward and saw the red morning sky….it wasn't difficult, considering how there were multiple holes completely blown through the gravity room walls.

She sighed irritably. The damage was extensive. _Beyond_ extensive. This was not an easy fix like she had initially thought it was going to be. The control panel would have been easy enough to repair, the replacement parts for it would be readily available, she figured, as well as the microchips and the wiring. The power core would have been more of a challenge. The replacement parts required to repair it most likely would _not_ be readily available, and she would have had to go through all the spare parts and materials there in the engineering sector to see what she could use in substitution to repair it. Even if she had found _all_ the materials today and used her engineering genius to fix the power core, repairing and replacing the damaged wiring and connectors-as well as reprogramming the system-would have taken hours, if not days. And that was if it had _only been _the control panel and power core she needed to repair.

Bulma huffed again, drinking in another panoramic view of the destroyed gravity room. The walls and the flooring were utterly compromised. Even if she were to restore the flooring, the walls had been too badly damaged. There was _no way _she would be able to repair the walls or reinforce them. Their stability was completely and entirely compromised, and she could not trust the machine to perform under the overwhelming strain of such enhanced gravity without posing a very real dangerous and deadly threat to the prince who would be confined within it. And it would be a dark day in hell to let Vegeta get hurt again by any mistake, miscalculation, or mis-engineered work on her part. He had almost died by her mistake once, and it would _not_ happen again.

"Ugh, he's not going to like hearing this..." Bulma murmured to herself, knowing Vegeta would be less than pleased to know that not only could she _not_ repair his machine, but that she would _have_ to build him a new one, which would take much longer than either one of them had expected. His new gravity room was going to take weeks, maybe even months to design and construct. Time was a luxury that neither one of them had, and the beautiful scientist let out a breath of annoyance at the situation. '_Why the hell didn't he tell me he completely destroyed the gravity room!'_ she griped to herself, wondering why Vegeta would decide to not tell her the full condition of the machine. Well, she thought to herself, why not just ask him?!

* * *

Saiyan guards stood stiffly at attention along the long, winding hallway that lead to the luxurious, round foyer, which in turn lead directly to the grand conference room where the royal family and their foreign guests were currently discussing interplanetary trade agreements. Bulma breezed by the guards, a stern and determined look on her face, not noticing how the guards each nodded to her in respect and granted her unquestioned access as she approached the entrance to the room.

"Bulma." Turles said, hiding the surprise in his voice as best he could. It wasn't everyday he saw the blue-haired human beauty. "So the rumors are true, you _are_ here."

"Turles." Bulma commented back, wanting to smile and hug him hello but knew that she had to keep things professional in front of the other foreign dignitaries who were waiting around for their audience with the royal Saiyan family. She was already getting looks from some of them, half of them probably wondering who in hell she was, and half of them probably wondering if she was a Saiyan, going by the curious looks on their faces. Not to mention she was already in an irritable mood after seeing her precious gravity machine in pieces. "I am. But for how long remains to be determined."

"Leave it to my cousin to not tell me you were coming."

"It's not Goku's fault. He didn't know I was coming to Vegetasei today. It was a last minute kinda thing." Bulma smirked, watching as Turles tried to stifle a smile. "Anyway, I know they just went in there not too long ago, but would you get Vegeta for me? I need to talk to him."

"Of course." Turles nodded his head, placing his right arm over his torso as he gave her a slight bow, before opening one of the enormous doors of the conference room. He headed inside while Bulma stayed outside, crossing her arms over her torso as she patiently waited. The other Saiyan guards watched over not only the door-but protectively over their beloved human female-who was causing a small murmur amongst the foreign dignitaries.

* * *

Rap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

Rap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

Rap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

Vegeta sat back in his large, plush throne chair as he mindlessly drummed his fingertips on the large table, the tip of his tail flicking against his hip in synchronicity. It hadn't even been half an hour into the discussions and he was already horribly irritated. His darkened demeanor was evident to everyone, and wisely no one addressed him directly, choosing to point their comments and concerns to the King and Queen. It was fine with him. He'd rather sit there and stew in silent annoyance than have to open his mouth and inadvertently burn bridges with other planets. After all, killing a foreign ambassador would definitely taint the atmosphere of the conferences. Let sleeping dogs lie, was the saying back on Earth…and everyone inside there, although they were unfamiliar with the saying, knew just to leave him alone.

His finger-tapping became more forceful as he sensed Bulma's energy signal heading his direction. He knew that even _she_ was not able to fix his gravity room so quickly…so this meant she was either going to yell at him about something…or worse. His mood grew a little darker as the woman approached the entrance to the conference room. His gaze swept over the room for a moment, seeing that everyone was engrossed in discussions. Vegeta abruptly stood up, taking off his scouter and placing it on the table as he began to walk away from the meeting. Apparently his actions did not go unnoticed as there was a noticeable hush amongst everyone, their discussions momentarily paused as they eyed the dark prince and tried to anticipate his actions. He offered no reason, excuse or explanation for his sudden departure as he began to leave the room, and the discussions resumed. He ignored the angered glares he swore he could feel behind his back from his parents as Turles entered into the conference room and headed toward him. Vegeta sighed in irritation as he snappily nodded at him to turn back around and exit. He refused to have Bulma inside that room if he could help it. Turles got the hint and abruptly did an about-face, hastily leaving the room.

To Bulma's slight surprise, Turles walked right back out of the conference room, with Vegeta following right behind him. Upon Vegeta's appearance in the foyer, the Saiyan guards brought their right fist over their heart and firmly pounded on their chest twice as they bowed to him. Those in the other foreign parties who were seated quickly rose up, all of them bowing graciously to the tumultuous Saiyan prince. Bulma was the only one who did not acknowledge the prince in such a way, and this did not go unnoticed by the foreigners. Perhaps this particular female was someone strong-or important-that she did not to have to address Saiyan royalty the appropriate way. Upon seeing that the dark prince took no offense to her actions, or lack thereof, only confirmed that perhaps she was someone that was not to be crossed.

Vegeta paid no mind to the bodies in the room as he look at Bulma, seeing the tell-tale flicker of anger within those blue orbs of hers. She was angry about something. Apparently whatever it was that she was angry about could not wait, since it was important enough to pull him out of the meeting. He became defensive, his face frowning in agitation as his moodiness from being in the conference room carried over in his voice. "Done already? I find it hard to believe that you've fixed my machine so quickly." he spat in sarcasm.

"Is that so?" Bulma snipped back. "Well, believe it or not, it's _done_." Bulma emphasized her last word with frustration, placing her hands on her hips in an aggressive stance.

Vegeta raised a skeptical eyebrow at her for a moment, analyzing her words. "I don't have time for games, woman." he growled out as quietly as he could.

"I'm not playing any." Bulma retorted. "You have some real nerve, you know that?" she griped back, trying to keep her tone in check, realizing this wasn't exactly the best place to have this quarrel with Vegeta.

The prince took a determined step forward, closing the gap between them so he could speak her to in more of a hushed tone. Seeing as there were many ears wanting to eavesdrop and many eyes trying to subtly watch them, he had to be mindful of his behavior around her. Vegeta looked at Bulma squarely in her eyes, as he refused to back down. "I don't know what the hell you're bitching about, but there better be a damn good reason you're here. Make this quick." he growled, too low for anyone to else but her to hear.

Bulma was about to go off on him, but managed to bite her tongue back. Her jaw muscles clenched from the effort as she seethed in anger for a moment. Was he joking? Was he just trying to exacerbate her temper? "This is a conversation we should be having in private." she whispered harshly back at him.

Vegeta studied her for a moment, seeing the tense and angry look on her, and it was _all_ directed at him. What in the _hell_ had set her off? The prince huffed in aggravation as he contemplated his next action. Go back into the conference room and incur the woman's wrath later on? Or take her somewhere private where they can duke this argument out and incur the wrath of his parents later? He was already treading uneasy waters with his parents, and him leaving the room so abruptly without a reason was already going to cause more problems.

"_Well_?" Bulma snapped in an irritated whisper, demanding to know what the delay was in answering her. She saw how quickly Vegeta's demeanor darkened at hearing her, and she vaguely thought in retrospec that maybe it _wasn't_ a good time to have bothered him. Too late now.

"Let's go. _Now_." Vegeta said harshly as he glared at her. She wanted to argue with him right now, then so be it! Vegeta turned away from her and began to storm out of the foyer and down the hallway, ignoring everyone bowing to him as he walked past them, as Bulma followed behind him with an attitude. The air was filled with tension, apprehension and curiosity as the foreigners watched the dark prince storm off with the beautiful female in tow, reaffirming that she must be someone who was immune from the Saiyan prince's wrath.

* * *

Vegeta led Bulma out of the hallway and to another separate wing of the palace, opening one of the doors that lead to an unoccupied guest room. As soon as they entered and Bulma shut the door behind her, she let her anger show. "You big jerk! I don't have time for this shit!"

"And I _do_?!" Vegeta loudly questioned, pointing to himself in emphasis as he looked at her incredulously.

"Why didn't you tell me the truth?!" Bulma yelled as she poked him in his chest.

Vegeta growled as he looked down at her finger poking his chest, and glared back up at her. "Truth about _what_?" he snarled, pushing her hand away from him in an annoyed manner, his tail starting to uncurl around his waist and snap in irritation.

Bulma poked his chest again for good measure. "This is bullshit! Why did you hide the _real_ condition the gravity room is in?!"

The prince growled again in rising anger, pushing her hand away from his chest again a little more forcefully this time. "What the hell are you talking about, woman?!"

Bulma huffed angrily, placing her hands on her hips firmly as she stared him down. "You know damn well what I'm talking about, Vegeta!" she said, crossing her arms underneath her bosom and tapped her left foot impatiently. "I can't believe you!"

"I don't have time for this nonsense." Vegeta began darkly, stepping up to Bulma in an intimidating way, as the lower half of his tail snapped back and forth in anger. "Knock off your bullshit, and get to fixing my machine."

Bulma narrowed her eyes dangerously, stepping up to Vegeta also. She wasn't going to let him intimidate her! "_Fix_ your machine?! Are you kidding me? Are you _fucking kidding me_?!"

"Do I _look_ like I'm fucking kidding?!" Vegeta snapped angrily, still not understanding what their argument was about. "That's what you're here for, isn't it?! That's what you said you'd come here to do, so I don't see what your fucking problem is!"

Bulma threw her arms up in the air in utter frustration. "My fucking _problem_, you asshole, is that you damaged WAY more than just the power core and the control panel!" she argued back, glaring at him in disbelief at his audacity.

Vegeta looked at her incredulously again. "You've lost your damn mind!" he growled. "Once again, woman, what _in hell _are you talking about?!" he snapped at her, as his tail continued to lash back and forth.

"Kami, Vegeta! You're un-fucking-believable! You piss me off so much sometimes!" Bulma groused in frustration, stamping her foot down in a small tantrum. "You need to knock this shit off _right now_! It's not funny!"

Vegeta let out a sharp breath of irritation as he brought his gloved hand to his face and pinched the bridge of his nose, willing his temper to calm down. The woman was spitting out nothing but nonsense at him, and he _still_ didn't know what her malfunction was. He was too tired for this. It was time for him to put his foot down. He pulled his hand away from his face and looked at her darkly, his cold, icy glare piercing her brazen blue eyes. "Will you start making some damned sense, woman, and _just tell me _what in blazes you are bitching about?! I don't know if you've forgotten, but I have intergalactic conferences to get back to." he said angrily, their gazes matching each other, neither lacking intensity, neither of them willing to back down first. This was ridiculous. He knew Bulma would be pissed about the damage he had caused to the machine, but enough to warrant such an extreme reaction?

Bulma had to look away from his intense gaze, it was suffocating her. She took a moment to calm down her temper and make sense of the situation. They were going in circles, and their tempers were starting to get the best of them. She inhaled slowly and deeply, and let it out in a steady, concentrated breath. It wasn't like Vegeta to hide any damage he caused to his machine. If anything, he was always vocal about what repairs and upgrades he needed. He seemed genuinely irritated and demanding to know what she was so pissed about. "Kami help me…" she breathed out softly, not knowing why she was going to go ahead and humor him. She held her forehead in her hand for a moment, trying to find a resolution to this argument with him. She sighed in frustration, turning to look at the prince defiantly. "I _can't fix _your gravity room." she told him in a voice that was octaves lower than her earlier tone.

Vegeta's eyebrows furrowed in seriousness as he frowned. "What do you mean you can't fix it?" he grit out in a lower tone as well, unsure if Bulma was joking around, or of what twisted game she was playing with him. "You can't repair the power core and fix the panel?" he scoffed, not believing her as he eyed her suspiciously.

Bulma made no efforts to huff out in agitation again. "That's exactly what I said. I. Can't. Fix. It." she slowly emphasized, seeing the irritated look on his face. "You damaged it beyond repair, Vegeta! The control panel _would_ have been easy enough to fix. Even the power core would probably have taken all of today and some of tomorrow…but _not_ the rest of it!"

"What do you _mean_ 'not the rest of it'?!" the prince demanded, crossing his arms across his chest as his tail began to fuzz up.

"This goes _beyond_ something as simple as needing replacement parts! _I can't fix the gravity room_." Bulma stressed the last part, her tone of voice going down another octave as she watched confusion briefly cross Vegeta's face.

"Woman, you can fix anything." he said to her, giving her a challenging look, not believing her.

"Vegeta, seriously, we _don't_ have time for this!"

"I'm _being_ serious! Why can't you fix it?" he demanded again.

"For Kami's sake!" Bulma threw up her hands slightly in frustration, as she spoke to him in a quieter but exasperated tone. "The floors are all torn up, and there's tons of holes in the walls! The structural integrity of your gravity room is compromised! I'm _not_ going repair it when chances are it will buckle under your insane gravitational settings and implode and kill you!" Her voice had begun to raise again at that last part, and she took a pause as she gently stressed her next words to him. "I don't care _how_ mad you get at me. I don't care how much you bother me about it. I _refuse_ to make repairs on it. It would be too dangerous for you to be in." she finished off more softly, watching the confusion flicker across Vegeta's face as she spoke, as well as seeing his tail relax and curl and uncurl in growing puzzlement. It seemed he really _didn't_ know what she was talking about.

Strange.

"But I didn't…" Vegeta started off strongly, then snapped his mouth shut as he fisted his hands. Either the woman was crazy, or he had done more damage to the machine than he originally remembered. He was exhausted lately…maybe he missed some other damage he had done to it? Perhaps the woman was exaggerating the damage also? His confusion must have played out on his face, because Bulma's concerned look for him was starting to put him on edge. Or maybe it was the softness of her voice or the indescribable look in her blue eyes as she looked into his?

Vegeta then took a step back away from her, suddenly noticing how close in proximity they were standing in front of each other. Awkwardly they both turned their gazes elsewhere, and remained standing in silence as they both tried to figure out what was going on. After a few more moments they looked at each other again, not knowing what else to say that _wouldn't _throw them back into a heated argument, besides what had already been said. It was Vegeta who broke the silence. "C'mon." he said definitively, making a decision as he walked past Bulma and opened the door, turning to look at her expectantly as he waited for her to follow suit.

Bulma tilted her head sideways slightly, wondering what he had planned. "Where are we going?" she asked as she walked out of the room and into the hallway, turning to watch Vegeta close the door behind her.

"To the gravity room."

* * *

So much for the woman exaggerating the condition of his gravity room.

Or what once _used_ to be his gravity room.

Vegeta frowned in annoyance as he surveyed the damage. The last time he was in his gravity room it sure as hell wasn't destroyed the way that it was. For one thing, the power core had still been standing upright, attached to the ceiling…not broken off and leaning against one of the walls. A wall, by the way, that had quite a few holes blown through it, as did the rest of them. At least now he knew what the woman was yelling at him about. His gravity room was demolished. Her frustration and anger were justified. The prince turned his darkened gaze back to Bulma, who remained standing there with her arms crossed across her torso, waiting for some sort of explanation from him.

At getting Vegeta's attention back, an annoyed look crossed her face as she gazed back at him. "Well? What do you have to say for yourself, mister?" she demanded. The gravity room seemed even in worse condition this second time around, and having such a visual reminder of the insane work she had ahead of her was starting to put her in a foul mood again.

"I didn't cause this damage."

"_What_?!" Bulma squealed out incredulously, lowering her arms down to her sides as she glared at the man who drove her positively insane. "I can't believe you! You're _still_ denying it, even when the evidence is right in front of your eyes?!"

"Woman, I damaged the control panel and the power core. I told you that from the beginning. I didn't, however, detach it from the ceiling, and I didn't cause the rest of this damage." Vegeta said sternly, giving her a challenging glare and daring her to call him a liar.

"Ugh!" Bulma huffed out, reaching up with a hand to gather a lock of her blue hair and guide it behind her ear. She bit her lip…she didn't know what to say. She saw his confusion earlier, and watched him as he surveyed the damage to the gravity room. She knew him better than she knew herself. He wasn't lying. "Well fine Vegeta. Since _you_ didn't do all this, then who did?" she asked in frustration. Things were just not making sense.

Who, indeed? Someone had destroyed it, and very recently.

"I have my suspicions." Vegeta ground out, thinking back to the ki spikes that he had sensed earlier in this same general area after he had entered back into the palace. He was on his way to the conference room after Tarble had called him on his scouter for a second time when he had felt Kakarot's energy spike up rapidly a handful of times around the vicinity of this area. Vegeta had thought nothing of it at the time, figuring he had been sparring with someone. Now that he thought about it, why would Goku damage…

"Bardock!" Vegeta grumbled under his breath, realizing that his mentor must have had a hand in this. Even Kakarot wasn't idiotic enough to destroy his property like this on accident. This was _no_ coincidence. Vegeta's irritation spiked as he fisted his hands at his sides, visibly angry and frustrated.

_What the hell was the point in having his machine destroyed further?! _

Not only did he still _not_ have a functioning gravity room, but now it was going to take even _more_ extensive work for Bulma to repair it. And if she meant what she said, and chances were she probably did, then the woman would refuse to repair it and she would have to build him a new one. Either option called for a great amount of work, and precious time that the woman did not have, nor did he. Bardock had told him last night that he'd find a way to get him out of his meetings…and he hadn't taken him seriously. What the hell was Bardock _thinking_?! Was this part of his master plan?! To set him and the woman back with such absurd inconveniences? It didn't make any sense! The prince brought a single hand to his forehead, lowering his head down a bit, feeling a headache coming on.

"Vegeta?"

"What?!" he barked, taking a quick breath and exhaling it, briefly feeling bad for snapping at her as he lowered his hand from his forehead and clenched and unclenched his fists.

"What happened here? Who did all this?" Bulma asked more calmly, sensing he was really angry.

"Later." Vegeta promised her as he turned to look at the beautiful woman who stood nearby. He had to be sure what had happened here before he told her of his suspicions. Her wrath, coupled with his, would be unleashed on whoever did this, and he wanted to make sure of who was guilty. Her confused eyes asked him for answers, but his refusal was clear. "I don't have much time, woman. I need to get back to the meeting."

"Right." Bulma nodded with a frown, willing to drop their spat over the gravity room. She took his hint that something was going on and it would be dealt with another time. She sighed in frustration, no longer directed at him, but at their dilemma. It was clear that for right now they needed to focus on finding a solution to their problems. She took a couple of steps towards Vegeta, one hand on her hip as she placed the other hand on top of her head, trying to think. "What do you want me to do, Vegeta?" she asked him genuinely.

"Fix it." he answered her.

"I already told you, I can't." Bulma began, then seeing a stern look from the prince, she continued. "It's not that I don't _want_ to, but I just _can't_. It's beyond repair. We have to scrap it."

"Fine." Vegeta said moodily as he stood unyielding, crossing his arms across his chest. "Build me a new one."

"Can't you at least say 'please'?!"

"No."

"You're unbelievable!" Bulma griped.

"I know." the prince said, turning away from her to survey the damage to his gravity room again.

"You know, Vegeta, I _could_ say no and make you keep using the one back at Capsule Corp." Bulma lightly threatened.

"Tch. Then how about I destroy that one? Then you'll be forced to build a new one." Vegeta smirked, knowing she wouldn't appreciate that answer.

"Jerk."

"Brat."

"Are you _sure _you didn't sabotage and destroy it, just so that I could build you a new and improved one?" Bulma asked, almost teasingly.

"Woman…" Vegeta warned, with no real bite to his word. His tail swung back and forth lazily, as he heard her stifle an amused chuckle. He turned back to face her, and she gave him a playful smirk.

"Just making sure." Bulma quipped. "I mean, I figured I'd have to _someday_. Even with all of my speedy repairs and genius upgrades, I knew _eventually_ you'd get too strong and outgrow it." she mused, a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"Hn. I've been strong for a long time now. I outgrew this machine a long time ago. I've been telling you that I needed a better machine, and now you're going to _have_ to build one." Vegeta said very matter-of-factly.

"Well then, I guess there's no rush in building this new one, since you still have the one back on Earth to train in." Bulma smirked, trying to be a smartass.

Vegeta rolled his eyes slightly. "Right, like I _really_ want to wait however long it's going to take you to build me a new gravity room. Probably years, going by the rate at which you work." he challenged.

Bulma frowned a bit. "It won't take me years! Weeks….maybe a month and a half, tops!"

"Tch. I'll believe it when I see it. And how exactly do you plan to find the time to build it?" Vegeta asked, perking up a curious eyebrow at her as he took a step closer toward her.

Bulma shrugged, and answered him honestly. "You manage to find the time to come to Earth and train in the one there, and spend time with me." She paused for a moment as he stood in front of her. She felt the faint flutter of butterflies in her stomach again, and quickly ignored them. "I will find the time to come here and build you your machine and spend time with you."

"What makes you think I _want_ to spend time with you?" Vegeta mused, giving her an arrogant smirk, which faltered ever so slightly when she took a small step closer to him this time.

Bulma reflected that arrogant smirk right back at him. "Well, you're _still here _talking with me, even though you said you 'didn't have much time'. After all, dear prince, you _do_ have a meeting to get back to. Or have you forgotten?" she mused.

"Tch. I don't forget anything. I'll use _any_ excuse to get out of that room, heiress, even if it means I'm _forced_ to spend time with you." Vegeta chuckled lightly, seeing a slight frown and pout form on Bulma's face as he smiled in victory.

"You're such a jackass, Vegeta."

"Just another word to add to that list of yours, woman."

"That word has been on my list for a long time now. You're _going_ to run out of room on that list someday." Bulma said assuredly, rolling her eyes slightly at him.

"Probably. Speaking of list…make a list of materials you are going to need to build me my new gravity room."

"Sure, but I'm going to need some heavy duty stuff. I've got a few new ideas for you that I think you're going to like." Bulma beamed happily at the last part, as she already was preparing a mental list of what she was going to need.

"Hn." Vegeta simply stated, as his tail swished in curiosity. He wanted to know what she had planned, but he needed to get back to the diplomatic negotiations. He was sure if he had brought his scouter with him that he would have been constantly paged to get his ass back inside. He was already skating on thin ice with his parents, and this was pushing it. Then again, the meeting had started not to long ago. He frowned, recalling how he felt about wanting to stay and spend some time with the woman, instead of being stuck all day in that damned room having endless intergalactic conferences. He was pretty sure if his mood didn't improve, he was going to end up blasting a hole through some ambassador by this afternoon.

"Hey, you better get going." Bulma said, breaking Vegeta out of his thoughts as she placed both hands firmly on his chest and started to push him backwards, trying to guide him out of the gravity room.

"And you call _me_ pushy?" the prince mused as he looked down at her, allowing himself to be shoved backwards for a few moments before he stopped dead in his tracks, making her struggle to move him even a centimeter.

"You _are_ pushy!" she answered, trying to put more effort into getting him to move. It was like trying to move a mountain! Something Vegeta could probably do, she joked to herself. "Seriously, you better get going. Can't have intergalactic conferences without the prince of Saiyans there."

"Tarble is there. He will suffice." Vegeta said, as he re-allowed himself to be pushed out of the gravity room. The woman would strain a muscle if she kept up with her antics. He smirked at her, an amused glint in his eyes.

Bulma rolled her eyes at him. "Being technical, huh? Fine. The _eldest_ Saiyan prince needs to be there." she said, finally letting off of him as she gave him one last gentle shove as a reminder. She pretended to dust her hands off at accomplishing her goal of getting him out of the room.

"And _you_ need to be working on building my new gravity machine." Vegeta told her, curling his tail back around his waist as he imitated her actions, pretending to dust off his chest. He looked at her expectantly as he readjusted his gloves for good measure.

"As soon as you leave." she promised him.

"Fine. I'm leaving." the prince said, looking at her thoughtfully for a short moment before turning around and taking off in the air, flying back towards the conference room.

* * *

Bulma watched Vegeta fly off, and couldn't help but sigh. She had a lot of work ahead of her, and she needed to get started. She turned and began to enter the gravity room again as a distant, vague feeling came to her. She was forgetting something. She remembered she had something she had to do later on today, but what was it? Not being able to immediately remember what it was, she shrugged to herself, and figured she'd remember later.

As the prince headed back to his dreadful conferences, Bulma continued to stand in silent contemplation as she stared at the destroyed gravity room again. She realized that Vegeta had in fact told her many times, in his own pushy, demanding way, that he needed a new one. Most of the time he pestered her to fix the machine, but as she thought about it, his repair requests _had_ been more frequent, and he had mentioned more than once that she needed to build him a machine that could stand up to his strength.

A feeling of sadness came over her, feeling as though she had been neglecting what Vegeta had been really trying to tell her. A concerned look crossed her face as she couldn't understand why he wouldn't come straight out and tell her to build her a new one. Realizing what she just thought, she sighed despondently. Vegeta _did_ tell her to build him a new gravity room, but for whatever reasons she hadn't felt it was a genuine request. After all, Bulma knew him, and he was not the type to _ask_ for anything at all, even from her.

Had she been so wrapped up in the past months with her wedding plans, and her work, and her inventing, and everything else that she had been so blinded to what he was indirectly asking of her? Bulma closed her eyes, bringing her hand up to her face and pinching the bridge of her nose for a moment, before dragging her hand down her face in utter realization. She felt like a bad friend. Even though they weren't really friends.

Not wanting to get back into the hopeless analysis of what Vegeta really was to her, and her to him, she surveyed the damage once again. Thoughts of him were confusing, mucking up her thought process. She decided to refocus on how immense Vegeta's power must have been for him to have destroyed the power core the way he did. Even if he hadn't been the one to cause the remaining damage, it was a sign to Bulma that he had outgrown that machine. '_And for awhile now apparently…'_ she thought to herself as she recalled Bardock's comments about healing Vegeta's wounds. It must have been often, since he had tested out his new and improved healing salves and gels on Vegeta's injuries to get his formula to perfection. Just how much energy was Vegeta outputting when he trained? How powerful had he become? Enough to hurt himself so badly all the time to require such frequent and intense healing? How extensive were his injuries? How much power was the gravity room outputting, upholding, and withstanding as it struggled to operate under such demanding and straining conditions?

She needed data.

Bulma rolled up her proverbial sleeves and carefully stepped over the debris, making her way over to the crushed control panel. In a way she was glad it was damaged, since she didn't currently have her tools on her at the moment as she dug through the damaged wiring and circuit boards. She bit her lip as she continued to go though the mess, hoping Vegeta hadn't damaged it until she found the data chip she was looking for. Glad that the microchip was intact, she was renewed with a new sense of duty as she left the gravity room, heading back over to her own personal lab.

After greeting a few of her fellow scientists in her division, Bulma made her way over to her own lab. She was pleased to find it had been kept clean and neat during her absences. She turned on the computers and machinery in there, and as soon as they were up and running, she inserted the microchip into her computer and set it to upload the data onto her hard drive. About 20 minutes later, the computer let her know the upload was complete, and Bulma proceeded to scan over all the data that was on the chip. She ended up printing out tons of paperwork, since the data was full of the mechanical outputs, performance, and energy readings from Vegeta's gravity room.

After organizing the paperwork, Bulma sat down and spend time going over it. A disturbed and concerned look graced her beautiful features as she continued to delve deeper into the revealing data that was before her. Going by the readouts, Vegeta constantly had the machine running at maximum gravity, for very long periods of time. This told her that he had become more than accustomed to those forces. The machine would then overheat and proceed to shut down procedures, assuming a component did not get damaged prior to that process.

Vegeta's energy output was completely off the charts as she continued to pour over the reports, seeing how his power level would spike to unheard of numbers before the sensors would overload and either short-circuit or malfunction. He must have had the resident mechanics and engineers on Vegetasei constantly busy with the upkeep and repairs on his machine. She had thought Vegeta had bugged her constantly about repairing his machines both there and back on Earth, but based on the recorded data and repair/maintenance logs, he didn't come to her for repairs nearly as much as he should have. Something akin to guilt hit her, and it was a feeling she tried to push down and ignore for the time being. She frowned. There was a lot of missing data when it came to his power level and his energy output. The machine and the bots were simply unable to keep up with the prince.

Bulma inhaled heavily, slouching down further in her chair. She plopped a stack of paperwork back on the table as she exhaled the heavy breath of burden she was holding. Even before she dove deeper into the more detailed data, she already knew that Vegeta had outgrown his gravity room here, and even the one back on Earth. She could tell when she took a quick scan over the numbers and readouts as the computer ran through the data and organized it before printing it out. What she needed was more information on Vegeta.

Bulma got back on her computer and typed rapidly for a few seconds, gaining access to the medical system, proceeding to download Vegeta's medical files. As she waited for the information to finish downloading, Bulma arose from her seat, stretching out the stiffness in her joints and muscles, as well as stifling a yawn. She hadn't realized how tired she had felt until she actually stood up and yawned. She looked at the time on her computer and was startled to see that she had been pouring over all this data for a couple of hours now. Where had the time gone? Crap, and she hadn't even started on making that list of materials she was going to need to build him his new machine! Bulma bit her lip, knowing Vegeta would be unhappy that she had spent the last couple of hours pouring over data instead of making that list and starting to gather what materials and supplies that she could.

The computer alerted her that the data download was complete, and she sat back down, proceeding to print out reports on Vegeta's vitals, as well as his energy levels and output before, during, and after his training. As she quickly scanned over the paperwork, she was somewhat alarmed at some of the spikes in data she saw. She needed to design and build him a bigger, better, stronger, and stable gravity room that could withstand much higher gravity settings, that could maintain a steady power source capacity and load, as well as not buckle under Vegeta's own power and stamina. With her reports in hand, Bulma was determined to build Vegeta a gravity room and training bots that would not fail him. And with her new and crazy ideas she had, it was likely she would be able to accomplish them.

Bulma left her lab, and headed over to the industrial and engineering divisions to see if there were any spare parts or materials she could use in building the new gravity room. After spending another hour going through different metallic alloys, endless machinery components, and talking with some of the mechanics and engineers, she was faced with the fact that in order to build Vegeta the room he needed, she would literally have to start from scratch.

And it would be expensive.

Half an hour later Bulma had composed the majority of her list. It consisted of existing types of materials she would need, and vague ideas and wishful thinking for other materials that she wasn't even sure existed in the universe. Well, she hoped at least _some_ of the properties that she was looking for in building materials existed. Unfortunately these items would not be found on Vegetasei, and it was something she was going to have to actually _shop_ for.

Vegeta would be _thrilled_ to hear about that.

* * *

The blue-haired scientist headed back into the palace and made her way back to the conference room, as the Saiyan guards remained standing at attention, guarding the hallways. They nodded at Bulma again as she entered the foyer, seeing some different alien foreigners there before that weren't there a few hours ago. The meetings must be going by faster than she had thought. She vaguely wondered if Vegeta's temperament had anything to do with it. The thought brought a slight smile to her face.

Before Bulma could stroll up to Turles again and ask him to get Vegeta a second time for her, the conference room door suddenly swung open harshly as Vegeta walked out, looking highly irritated and pissed off. The Saiyan guards promptly tapped their fists to their chests again and bowed in his presence, as well as the foreigners bowing hastily in respect at the prince's abrupt and unnerving appearance. He glared at all of them, which prompted almost everyone in the area to get back to their conversations and what they were doing previously.

Everyone, except a certain blue-haired, beautiful, genius scientist and engineer.

"Things not going well in there, I take it?" Bulma asked softly, trying to hide a slight smile as Vegeta looked at her sternly.

"You know I hate being in there." was his answer to her, as they kept their voices low enough for no one else to overhear. "Are you done with that list?"

"Yes." Bulma replied, stepping closer to the surly prince.

"Took you long enough."

"I didn't know you were waiting for me. You should have told me I had a time limit." Bulma stifled a chuckle as Vegeta narrowed his eyes and glared at her.

"Well, get on with it. What do you need?"

"Unfortunately, a lot of materials that we don't have here."

Vegeta sighed, the tip of his tail flicking against his hip in an agitated manner. They needed to talk, and in private. He had already caught silent hell from his parents when he had returned to the conference room after leaving abruptly the first time. Their eyes bore into his skin in a silent warning that he better stay in the meeting room and not leave off-planet. Their non-verbal message was no different when he left the room again this second time. He nodded his head sideways a bit, gesturing for Bulma to follow him again as he left the foyer so they could be away from prying eyes and ears. She followed him as they entered another different empty room. After closing the door again, he turned to her, relaxing his stance. "What do you mean? We don't have the materials here?"

Bulma shook her head. "Yeah, there are some, but I'm going to have to build your new gravity room from scratch. The metals and materials _here_ won't do. They aren't strong enough or good enough."

Vegeta ran a gloved hand through his flame of hair. "I'm assuming that's what's on your list, right woman?"

"Yep. I'm gonna have to buy a lot of new, different raw materials and bring them back here for us to process and do the metal working and welding on it. The construction of it should be simple enough though, provided the materials are readily available…if most of them exist." she trailed off, looking at him with a shrug. "I need to bring your gravity room to a whole new level, but it will be worth it. And I can build it in mere weeks. I promise, Vegeta." Bulma said the last part with endearment, giving him a warm smile.

Vegeta nodded, his eyebrows slightly furrowed in thought as he listened. "Fine. Do what needs to be done." he unwillingly agreed.

"It's going to be expensive."

"Of course." Vegeta said, rolling his eyes slightly at her, already knowing it was going to be. He ignored Bulma's smirk. "Go ahead and buy whatever you need, woman. I don't care how much it will cost."

Bulma's smirk faltered a bit, as she looked at him with veiled curiosity. It wasn't like Vegeta to be as agreeable as he was at this moment. She guessed the past few hours in the conference room must have really gotten to him if he was this calm about having to wait weeks for his machine, on top of the expense.

"Well I'm glad to hear you don't care how much it'll cost, but I don't think even _I_ have enough credits in my account to buy all the materials I'm going to need." Bulma said honestly. If she had that many credits, then she'd buy everything for his machine, if she could. It wasn't like she needed the credits for anything else. She had wealth back on Earth and rarely had to purchase anything off-planet. Vegeta and his family provided everything she ever needed or wanted when she was with them.

"That expensive?" Vegeta sighed, not because of how much it was going to cost, he really didn't care. He was beyond wealthy. He sighed because now he realized that he would have to go with her to get her more funds so she could buy what she needed. Not to mention that she'd probably want him to go with her to get the materials, and to find all she needed would take most of the day to do, if not a couple of days. Normally he wouldn't really mind going with her, despite the act he might put on, but him leaving Vegetasei for the day again, or longer, would not sit well with his parents. Or his bodyguards.

At all.

"Probably. It's going to be a kickass gravity room, though." she assured him.

"Hn." Vegeta commented, as he continued to contemplate his options. "I have to take you to Capital World, don't I?" he groused, glancing over at Bulma.

"No, you don't have to, Vegeta. I know you're busy. I'll get Goku to teleport me there. I'll buy what I can and at least get a start on building it. I'll let you know how many more credits will be needed to buy the rest of the materials."

"I refuse to let you and Kakarot parade around there all day! I want this machine done as soon as possible, and getting only half the materials is idiotic."

"So that means you're taking me, then?" she asked, quirking an amused eyebrow at him.

"Hn."

"Well hey, look at it this way…at least you don't have to spend all day listening to foreign ambassadors and talking business now." Bulma lightly chuckled, giving Vegeta an encouraging smile, not knowing that her words had triggered a realization within the prince.

Vegeta growled softly. So was _this_ Bardock's plan?! To have his machine destroyed so that he and Bulma _had_ to go off-planet together for most of the day? His machine being demolished had made no sense to him at all at first…it was a major setback to not only his training, but to enjoying the woman's company on Vegetasei. He thought she would be busy, stuck on making repairs during the few hours she would be there. But now…it seemingly turned out to be quite the opposite.

Damn Bardock and his meddling!

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go." Vegeta said begrudgingly. He knew he was going to catch absolute hell for disappearing off-planet again. He was expected to stay on Vegetasei and uphold his royal duties as the crown prince, no matter how much he hated the political side of things. His parents had warned him. Nappa and Raditz would be furious with him if he left again without them, or even telling them where he was going. _What was he doing? _He knew he should let Kakarot take her to Capital World and have her get what materials she could. It wasn't like she was going to be able to build the machine in a day, or even in a week. There was time to spare. He could train in the gravity room on Earth while she spent the next handful of weeks building him his new machine. He needed to stay there, go back to the conference room, and not incur the wrath of his parents or his bodyguards, as well put even more fuel to the fire when it came to speculation between him and the woman.

So why was he willing to defy his parents and cause more trouble for himself? Was it worth it? He took a look at the woman he's known his whole life. Was _she_ worth it?

Yes, she was.

"Ok, I'll go find Goku so he can teleport us there. No point in getting a ship ready when he can zap us there in a blink." Bulma said light-heartedly, beginning to turn away.

"There's no need." Vegeta said as he walked forward, quickly closing the distance between them. Without a warning, he wrapped his arm around Bulma's waist and pulled her closely against him.

"What?…" Bulma trailed off, caught off-guard at Vegeta's brash move. She didn't have time to think about what he was doing as she gave him a confused look, and was rewarded by his arrogant smirk.

She watched as Vegeta put two fingers to his forehead and her eyes widened in surprise. Before she could voice her shock and realization, he teleported them to Capital World.

* * *

This ended up being the second longest chapter of my story so far! It was a struggle, but I'm very pleased with how it turned out. Did you like it? I hope you did! Please leave a review and put in your two cents!

I'm excited about the next chapter. Our two main characters, away from their respective planets…..anything could happen. Just sayin'.

For those of you wanting to know where exactly we are in the timeline of the story, it's 4 days until Bulma's wedding. I know…this week-long story is taking months! We should be used to it, we're no strangers to time-discrepancies in DBZ. Like the whole debacle on Planet Namek.

Thanks to each and every one of you who continue to read my story! You are greatly appreciated!


	12. Away From It All

Can I just say that I have the most amazingly awesome readers! I'm sure you already knew that though! I just wanted to say that I appreciate all of you so much! I know this chapter has been a long time coming, but the support and encouragement has been wonderful. Thanks to all of you who PM me or left hello's during my absence. I've never forgotten about all of you, or this story. Not at all. In fact I think of it often, and unfortunately life and work and responsibilities get in the way. Not to mention my laptop has been blue-screening and crashing alot for the past couple of weeks, so working on this story has been even more of a challenge whenever I get to writing it. Maybe I can get a new laptop for Chrsitmas! Speaking of holidays, I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

A/N: As a friendly reminder, this is an AU. I don't own Dragonball Z, Mr. Toriyama does…although my hubby did buy me 'Dragonball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi' for Xbox 360, so I do own that. Sadly I haven't been able to play it yet. Maybe I'll play it tonight, after this chapter is uploaded.

A/N #2: Ladies and gentlemen, I present you with Chapter 12. It's a long chapter, you might want to find a comfortable spot to sit and read at. Or maybe hanging a 'Do Not Disturb' sign around your neck might work wonders as well! Also, some questions are answered in this chapter…and perhaps some foreshadowing of things to come? *evil laugh*

* * *

**Chapter 12- Away From It All**

A miserable, stifled groan emitted from atop a pillow as he slowly moved over onto his side. His head was pounding, as though he had been hit by a semi-truck. He opened his eyes...his vision was taking more than a few moments to re-focus on his surroundings. Where was he? It took a few more seconds before he realized he was in his bedroom. He groaned unhappily again, managing to sit up in his bed, cradling his forehead tenderly with one hand as the other hand gingerly massaged the side of his skull that was throbbing.

"What the _hell_…" his gruff voice rang out, wincing at almost every movement he made as he slowly moved to the edge of the bed and placed his feet on the ground. He remained sitting, slowly rolling his head and neck around as he tried to work out a nasty kink it in. It felt like he had one hell of a hangover…

…except he didn't go out drinking last night.

Yamcha's eyes shot open as his memory was suddenly jogged. He had been here, at his apartment, and was about to leave early this morning to head back to Bulma's to pick up his car. He had been sure that she was still pissed off at him, probably even more so now after getting his ass handed to him by Vegeta. The defeat burned deep within him, his pride was shattered, and he wasn't sure how things would go down between him and Bulma that morning. Either way, he needed to get his car, and have the inevitable talk with her over what had happened the night before. He wasn't looking forward to it, especially if Vegeta was still prowling around Capsule Corp grounds. The last thing he needed was to piss off the Saiyan again and suffer though another beating. He inwardly growled, recalling how he had truly been minutes away from dying. But thanks to Goku, he was back to his healthy, alive self. So imagine Yamcha's surprise when he opened his front door and Goku stood there.

Yamcha's memory was somewhat foggy, trying to remember _why_ Goku was there. It was almost as if he had been waiting for him for awhile. He continued to gently massage his head as he tried to remember what he and Goku had talked about. At first he thought Goku was there to check up on him, and Yamcha remembered thinking it was odd since the senzu beans last night had healed him completely back to full health. Maybe Goku had been there to talk about how tensely they had ended their conversation last night? Goku hadn't seemed like himself. Maybe his friend had wanted to apologize for having an attitude against him? Yamcha let out a heavy sigh as he tried to remember what they had talked about.

Unfortunately hindsight is always 20/20, and Yamcha would not realize that the words he had said to Goku about his fiancée Bulma…and his few choice, uncivil threats about Vegeta…would someday come back to haunt him with a vengeance. Yamcha had been completely oblivious to how the look on Goku's face had turned from neutral to serious at an alarming rate. He had a nasty habit of forgetting that Goku was not human, and always assumed Goku would take his side on anything.

But, for the time being, the last thing Yamcha could remember was that Goku had told him that he was very sorry.

But sorry for _what_? Yamcha wondered.

He couldn't recall, as he finished rolling his neck and continued to rub the sensitive, sore area on the side of his head. He thought that maybe he _had_ gone out the night before. It would be the only explanation for the intense headache he had. He squinted his eyes as he looked at the curtains at the veiled light attempting to invade his room. What time was it? Probably late morning, by the look of it. Yamcha groaned again softly as he gently lied back down on his bed, closing his eyes. He took a deep breath and let it out.

Kami, it felt like he really had been hit by a semi-truck. Or by…

"Goku!" Yamcha hissed sharply, thrown back by the memory of his friend's last words to him, and remembered in shock that Goku's fist had raised up in a flash, throwing his elbow backward before everything had gone dark for him. Next thing Yamcha remembered was waking up just minutes ago with a splitting headache. Had Goku knocked him out?! Why in _hell_ would he do that to him?! "Owwww…" he whined, thinking to himself that it probably would have been less painful to have been hit by an 18-wheeler than by Goku himself.

Yamcha opened his eyes again and glared at the ceiling. Apparently Goku had been _somewhat_ remorseful at knocking him out. Somehow he found himself back in his room on his bed rather than in his living room where he had been. '_What a good friend_…' Yamcha sneered inwardly to himself. The feeling of betrayal he had experience briefly last night as Goku scolded him now reared its ugly head again, only to have intensified two-fold.

But Yamcha was nevertheless correct. After knocking him unconscious with one precise, effective hit, Goku had hoisted Yamcha over his shoulder and carried him over to his bedroom, laying him on his bed. He wasn't sure how long Yamcha would be knocked out, he only hoped it would be long enough to get Bulma off-planet before Yamcha walked down a troubled path that would only yield negative outcomes. He wasn't sure if Yamcha had meant what he said, but the guardian within Goku had been roused, and he did what he did for Yamcha's own safety. Goku kept telling himself that as he left his apartment, only to teleport back home to Chi Chi and Gohan.

Goku spent the remainder of the early morning outside in the fresh air, performing his kata, after he came back from a brief visit to Vegetasei. He had kept tabs on both Yamcha and Bulma's ki, assuring himself that Yamcha remained unconscious….and therefore no threat to her… while he protected her from afar, patiently awaiting for Bulma to wake up to take her to Vegetasei when she was ready. Vegeta had entrusted him to keep her safe, and the gravity of the trust his prince had in him weighed heavy on his shoulders. Goku grew up alongside Bulma, and loved her like a sister. She was family to him as much as his own, and he would do everything in his power to protect her, but Vegeta…

Well, Goku could sense there was an affection for her that the prince tried his best to hide.

Vegeta was a master at masking his true feelings and emotions, but after being recruited into the ranks of the Elites at a young age, Goku had practically grown up alongside Vegeta and somehow, in someway, although they were rivals, ended up becoming as close to best friends as Saiyan standards got. He was rather confident in reading Vegeta very well, although he had to admit that Bulma held the torch in that department. At first Goku wasn't assured about what he had done to Yamcha, but after talking with his father very early that morning back on Vegetasei, coupled with the conversation he had with Yamcha the night before, and the alarming things Yamcha had said to him as he stood in his doorway, his mind had been changed. Goku was sure that knocking out his friend in order to give Bulma some time to herself…away from Yamcha…away from Earth…and to be around Vegeta without any interruptions…that it was the right decision. But would Yamcha understand? Never. Would Yamcha forgive him someday? Probably not…especially when it came to the reasoning behind his actions.

But even now, as Goku sensed Vegeta and Bulma's ki disappear off of Vegetasei and sensed them galaxies away after a moment of searching for their energy signals, he felt a sense of happiness. Yes, he demolished Vegeta's gravity room beyond repair. How else were they supposed to get Vegeta out of the conference room? He couldn't be stuck in there all day while Bulma made the repairs to his machine, only to turn right back around to Earth after only a couple of hours. Bunny had insisted that they somehow spend the last few days together before the wedding, and Bardock had more than agreed…which only confirmed Goku's suspicions that he _wasn't_ the only one seeing something between the prince and his best female friend.

It was a devious plan. Between him, his father, and Bunny, they somehow made it work so far. They managed to get Vegeta out of his royal duties for the day. They managed to take Bulma off of Earth, away from her wedding obligations, and inadvertently away from Yamcha. But the best-laid plans can only be executed up to a certain point. Now having done their part, it had to be left up to Vegeta and Bulma to see how the rest would play out. Although he knew the prince and the engineer could be quite a handful when together, there were times when they actually got along and seemed to enjoy each other's company. Goku was hoping this would be one of those times. It had been a very long time since either other of them were able to spend time together, truly alone. Plus, he mused with a veiled smile, he was sure they would like some quality time together. If sabotage _had_ to be the way to get them some time together, then so be it. Perhaps his friends would be able to escape the overwhelming demands and pressures of their lives, even if only for a single day.

Only when someone is _away_ from it all, can things be seen for how they truly are.

* * *

In the blink of a eye, Bulma saw her vision blur from the inside of the beautiful royal palace on Vegetasei to the outside of a busy, bustling city on Capital World. Her breath hitched in her throat for a few unsteady moments as she blinked in astonishment at the abrupt change in scenery as she suddenly found herself on a completely different world. It wasn't that she was not used to being teleported…that was far from the truth actually. Goku teleported her back and forth to Vegetasei all the time, and she had traveled to plenty of other worlds as well, whether on business with the royal family, or for mini-vacations that she took. The teleport momentarily stunned Bulma because she was not used to being teleported by the man who currently held his arm around her.

Vegeta had just enough time to lower his fingers from his forehead and survey the area of the massive city they found themselves in, before he was forced to take a step back. He had to brace himself from the unexpected and surprisingly forceful way Bulma threw herself against him as she wrapped her arms around his torso and gave him the strongest hug that she could manage. "Oh my gosh, Vegeta!" she squealed happily, practically jumping in joy for him.

"Jeez woman, what's gotten into you?" the prince managed to say, now recovered from her small attack on him. He tolerated her hug as he sighed in soft annoyance and looked down at her with a questioned look, the tip of his tail flicking gently against his hip. Bulma looked up at him with a brilliant smile.

"You know Instant Transmission!" she gushed, letting go of her bear hug on him and stood back, thrilled that he finally learned the technique. She knew he had been unable to go with Goku to Planet Yardrat to learn it at the time, but she wasn't sure when Vegeta had the actual time to learn the technique. Either he went to Planet Yardrat sometime after all, or Goku had been teaching him for awhile now.

"Of course I do." Vegeta brushed off as nonchalantly as he could, his arrogance evident in his voice as he suddenly found interest in his gloves. He readjusted one and then the other as he looked away from her, hoping there was no blush present on his features.

"For how long?!"

"It's been awhile now." he commented, shrugging his shoulders a bit, not really seeing why it was such a big deal to her. Vegeta decided to ignore for the moment as he tried to gather his bearings, looking around the city and deciding in which direction they should start heading. He welcomed his own distraction, because the sparkle in her eyes had unnerved him slightly, only because she beamed with happiness, and pride, and some other unnamable emotion…for _him_.

"And when _exactly _were you going to tell me this?" Bulma asked him, amused as Vegeta turned his head back over his shoulder with a quizzical look as she flashed him a playful grin. Even with his sharp senses, he was taken back again as Bulma quickly swooped in and gave him another affectionate squeeze around his torso.

"Never, if I could help it. The last thing I want is to be your intergalactic chauffer." Vegeta replied with a small smirk, and never being one for public displays of affection, he used his hands and his tail to quickly, but gently, remove her hold on him as he frowned down at her slightly. Bulma knew not to push her luck, and she put up no resistance as he removed himself from her hold.

"Smartass." Bulma replied, playfully smacking Vegeta's arm with the back of her hand, and couldn't help the amused smile the graced her lips as he frowned a little more deeply at her as he curled his tail back around his waist. "Like I really have the time to be traveling the galaxies or the universe right now. Although when I do have some free time it would be nice if you…"

"I'm serious, woman." Vegeta cut her off, backing up his words with a stern look at the beautiful engineer. "You better not be expecting me to be take you everywhere now. You have Kakarot for that."

"Jeez Vegeta, you don't even know what I was going to finishing saying!"

"Fine. What is it?" he said as he turned away from her, knowing they were wasting time as he started to head to his intended destination. At seeing Vegeta abruptly turn about-face and start to take off, Bulma rolled her eyes at him behind his back and hurriedly caught up to him. She fell into stride with him as she walked alongside Vegeta at a decent pace.

"_Like I was saying_.." Bulma began, sidestepping someone who was about to walk right into her, as she huffed and continued on with her sentence, "…when I have some free time if would be nice if _you_ took some time off also."

Vegeta quirked a curious eyebrow up and turned to look at her, trying to read what was in her eyes, but couldn't decipher anything. "Why?" he asked her, somewhat suspiciously.

"Well why not? It would be nice to go on a vacation, don't you think? We're both well overdue for one."

"Considering who we are and what we do, a vacation isn't in store for either one of us anytime in the near future." he responded gruffly as they continued walking down the long, winding pathways through the city, not grasping what she was _really_ asking of him.

Bulma bit her lower lip softly. He was right. He had an empire to help run and someday take over. She had a worldwide corporation she would inherit someday. It left very little time for either one of them to take a break from it all. It had already been happening, as she realized that they really didn't have their own lives anymore. Plus she was getting married this weekend, and considering the rocky relationship Vegeta and Yamcha had, she was sure Yamcha wouldn't be very happy if she went somewhere with only Vegeta. And it wasn't like Yamcha would come along….Vegeta would hate it as much as Yamcha. Bulma sighed with a heavy heart, hating the sudden feeling that hit her…the feeling that her life was already all planned out and decided for her. And if she was feeling that way, she could only imagine what Vegeta was feeling.

"Well, I just thought it would be nice if you and I went somewhere, that's all. We haven't gone anywhere since we were teenagers." Bulma said with a small shrug, as she started to wonder where they were headed. It had been awhile since she was on Capital World, and now tall buildings that resembled skyscrapers back on Earth loomed over them, as the bustling city was alive and well. At first she thought they would have trouble making their way through the crowds of people, but those in the crowd who actually were paying attention to their surroundings and recognized the Saiyan prince managed a small, hasty bow to him as he passed them by. Capital World was primarily a financial and business planet, and it wasn't uncommon to see many kings and leaders throughout the galaxy there on any given day. Then again, seeing the prince of the most powerful race and heir to the Saiyan empire casually strolling along, _without_ his royal entourage and with a beautiful female in tow was bound to raise some buzz.

Bulma stayed close to Vegeta, watching as random aliens bowed to him, and she couldn't help but smirk slightly. Being able to walk through a crowd quite easily and undisturbed was nice, despite how famous he was throughout the universe. It was quite a contrast to when she herself was out and about on Earth, where people and the paparazzi would hound and hover over her, barely letting her breathe. She stole a look at Vegeta, who had a slight scowl on his face that looked intimidating to anyone else but her.

"Where would we go, woman?" Vegeta commented, surprising Bulma. She wasn't sure if he had been ignoring her or not, but his response answered her question to whether or not he was listening to her. Was he asking in earnest? Or was it just out of curiosity?

"Does it matter? I'm sure with our powers combined, we can have a fun time anywhere we go." she smiled, gently elbowing the prince in his arm in a playful manner.

"Pfft. Hardly." Vegeta sneered, glancing over at Bulma and gave her a teasing smirk.

"You know, you're right!" Bulma feigned realization, tapping her index finger a couple of times on her cheekbone as she pretended to be in thought. "Between the both of us, _I've _always been the one that's more fun."

It was Vegeta's turn to roll his eyes. "And extremely annoying."

"You're no ray of sunshine yourself, you know!" Bulma replied.

"I never claimed to be."

"See? Even more of a reason to take a break! You're burned out. You should loosen up and be more fun….like Goku. He knows how to have a good time." Bulma baited him as she walked past him, beginning to make her way through the crowd of various alien creatures, trying to gain some distance from Vegeta.

"Kakarot?" the prince scoffed, his eyebrows furrowing as he took the bait, quickly taking to her side again. He stayed close to her as he stepped out in front, regaining the lead and continuing to direct their path throughout the city. "Not one part of me wants to be more like him. He's a clown." Vegeta said as he narrowed his dark eyes for a moment.

Bulma couldn't help but smirk. "Clowns are fun."

"Ah, so you agree that Kakarot is a clown? I can't wait to tell him."

"No, I didn't say that! I only mean that Goku is fun." Bulma quickly corrected herself, only to look at an amused look on Vegeta's face. Damn, he had baited her! She huffed slightly, giving him an annoyed look.

"Well then.." Vegeta drawled out, "…you can take Kakarot with you on your vacation, instead of me."

"But…Goku isn't as much fun as you are." Bulma said genuinely.

"Oh, so _now_ I'm fun?" Vegeta mused, "I thought I wasn't." he said, gently elbowing her as she had done to him earlier.

"You can be, sometimes." she replied honestly, a pleased smile on her face as he reciprocated her playfulness, even if only a little bit. She had forgotten that sometimes they could actually get along. Lately more often than not, they weren't around each other…and when they were, they would argue almost all the time about something. Suddenly Bulma was filled with some sort of joy she could not explain…but all she knew was that she was glad Vegeta was here with her on Capital World, instead of Goku.

Sometimes she forgot how much she missed the man that was walking beside her.

"Hn." Vegeta simply answered, turning the corner and quickly approaching a large, looming building that stood out from rest of the tall, slender buildings in that area. "Come on woman, we're slacking." he told Bulma as he continued to lead the way to the intimidating-looking building nearby.

* * *

The Saiyan prince and the scientific beauty approached the entrance to the grand building, which appeared to be made out of some sort of shiny charcoal-grey composite, trimmed with ivory-looking panel molding, with golden inlays throughout the building. The large insectoid-looking security guards, who appeared to be Arlian, had their weapons at the ready. They took a look at the Saiyan prince and his female companion as they approached the entrance. Before Vegeta and Bulma reached them, the guards opened the doors to the building, bowing slightly as they gave unquestioned access to the prince and his guest.

"What is this place?" Bulma asked in wonderment, feeling as though they were somehow allowed access into a prison. It wasn't a far fetched idea, considering all the Arlians that were posted at their designated stations, holding their dangerous and deadly-looking weapons at the ready. They were armored to the hilt, and she recognized all the security equipment that guarded various areas of this building….after all, she had designed and produced them back on Vegetasei. She subconsciously inched closer to Vegeta, reminding herself that Vegeta was stronger than all these weapons, guards, and technology combined.

"Haven't you ever been to a bank?" Vegeta replied in an amused tone, sensing Bulma's slight unease.

"This is a bank? What the hell kind of bank is this?!" Bulma blurted in surprise, continuing to look around the building, still following Vegeta as she noticed the guards bow their heads towards them as they made their way to what she figured was a teller.

"A bank for only the elite of the universe." Vegeta smirked, seeing Bulma shrug her shoulders nonchalantly, accepting his response without further question.

"Fancy." Bulma nodded, looking around, wondering what treasures lied just beyond the various doors and hallways. "Nice to see where you bank at, Vegeta."

"Do you have your credit chip with you?" he asked her, veering off-topic.

"Uh, yeah…actually I do." Bulma said, caught off-guard at the question as she was momentarily distracted by the large, luxurious but intimidating place. She reached into the back pocket of her short jean skirt and pulled out a small, thin microchip no bigger than the size of a quarter.

"Good. That will make things easier."

"Why?" Bulma asked as she eyed Vegeta suspiciously, beginning to put two and two together. "Is my chip is tied to _this_ place?" she asked in surprise. She knew her microchip was tied to some bank account that Vegeta's family had set up for her when she was only a child, but she never really wondered much about it, since she rarely ever had to buy anything when she was off of Earth. Why would she have to, when Vegeta and his family provided her with everything she ever needed or wanted?

"Observant, aren't we, woman?" the prince teased with a smirk, earning a narrowed glare from the blue-haired woman. He then held out his gloved hand to her expectantly as they continued walking to a teller. Bulma perked an eyebrow up at him for a moment, shrugged, and offered no questions or protest as she handed over her microchip to him. They looked at each other for a short moment, her curious blue eyes searched his dark, sheltered ones, and couldn't get a read on him. His tail was still wrapped tightly around his waist, so she couldn't get a read on it either. He seemed to look at her for longer than a necessary moment, almost as if he was in contemplation over something.

Before she could ask him what the matter was, they had strolled up to what could be considered a circular counter. Vegeta confidently approached the timid looking creature that stood behind it. Now this creature did not resemble an Arlian _at all_. This alien looked similar to a gangly, tan-colored reptile, with defined scales, claws for fingernails, matching sharp teeth, and yellowish eyes with black-slit pupils. It must be a Saurian, Bulma figured.

"Prince Vegeta." the reptile-like creature said in a gravely voice, bowing deeply to him in utmost respect and fear. The Saurian then took a look at his female companion, and he bowed slightly to her as well. He wasn't sure who she was, but she was with the Saiyan prince, and he would rather be safe than sorry when it came down to things. For all he knew, the prince may have found it an insult if he had not shown her any due respect also. Saiyans were known not to be very forgiving of trespasses and insults against their pride. "How may I serve you, your majesty?"

Vegeta, holding the microchip between his index and middle fingers, raised his hand up in front of the reptilian. "Transfer _all_ of the credits from her account…" he said, placing the chip down on the counter, "…to my own." he said in a very business-like tone, as he proceeded to pull out his own credit chip from underneath the inside top of his chest plate and place it down on the counter as well.

"Right away, your highness." the reptile replied, hurriedly inserting both microchips into the system and reviewing over the data, transferring the substantial amount of credits in the female's account directly over to the prince's.

"Vegeta?…" Bulma began, confusion clear in her voice as she wondered why he was moving the credits in her account over to his. After learning this place was a bank, she figured that he was just going to transfer a large amount of credits into her account, _not_ the other way around. She only needed enough to buy all the materials she would need for his new gravity machine. What was Vegeta doing? It didn't make any sense to her.

"Hush, woman." Vegeta said in a rather gentle tone. He turned to look at her and saw the questions in her eyes. Did she really not comprehend what he was doing? A troubled look graced Bulma's face and she closed her mouth and stayed silent, continuing to look around at the guards who seemed to have all eyes on them for the moment, which was slightly nerve-wracking. She and Vegeta waited for only a few more moments as the reptilian finished the transaction rather speedily.

"The transfer is complete, your highness." the reptilian said, "Anything else I may do for you?"

"Yes,…" Vegeta said with all the authority and respect that being royalty instilled him with, "…close her account and destroy her old chip. I want to grant her _full_ access to my account. Make her a duplicate of my credit chip as well."

The Saurian's slitted-pupils widened for a moment, before nodding slowly. This was not a light request. This was a very serious request…but who was he to question the heir to the Saiyan empire? If this is what he wanted, he would grant it without question. "As you wish, Prince Vegeta." The creature said, bowing again and resuming his work quickly. He closed the female's account and destroyed the credit chip that was tied to it, before getting on with the second part to Vegeta's request.

Vegeta then felt an urgent tug at his arm and he turned to look at Bulma. Her beautiful azure eyes had said it all, and he tried to ignore the questioned, confused look on her face. "What is it, woman? Don't you see I'm busy?"

"Vegeta, what are you doing? You're…you're _sharing_ your account with _me_?" Bulma said in a soft tone, astonished at what she just heard him say. She was not quite believing it.

Vegeta took in a slow, deep breath, and let it out. He eyed her for a moment...and what he was studying from her, she did not know. After a few more seconds passed he relented, and decided to voice what he had thought she would have already realized. "Why not? You gave me full access to your bank account on your planet years ago. It's only fair to add you to mine."

"But…" Bulma trailed off, not sure how to respond to that logic. _Of course _she gave Vegeta access to her personal bank account on Earth. She was beyond wealthy, she could afford anything he could ever want while he was there. Unfortunately he was never the type to go shopping and buy anything for himself, let alone really want anything…but he had all her money available to him at his very whim to spend if he wished. She had always trusted him with her money because there had never been a reason not to. Not like with Yamcha. Even after knowing him and being with him for over 10 years, she was still hesitant in adding her fiancée to her bank account. Yamcha, with that much money….it would only lead to more problems. But now he was going to be her husband, and she would have to give him access to her account…and it was just one more issue she had when it came to marrying him.

It was in this moment that the truth hit her….her trust in Yamcha was very flawed, and with Vegeta it was complete. What did this mean? She didn't know what to say. She knew he was wealthy…she couldn't even fathom how much money he really had. Honestly, it never mattered to her. He trusted her with his money, and his wealth was more than substantial. She was sure he had enough credits to buy a galaxy if he wanted one. But considering who Vegeta was…what he was doing right now was a big sign that his trust in her was obvious. As far as Bulma knew_, no one else _had access to his account. Not his parents, not Tarble, not Goku, _**not**_ _**anyone**_.

Except for her now, apparently.

At seeing that Bulma was at a rare loss for words, Vegeta crossed his arms across his chest, and reverted back to his logic. "Look, I don't want this happening again. I'm already taking time out of my day to bring you here to get you the funds you need for my gravity machine. I may not be around the _next time _you need to buy something. This way you will have full access to our account, so you can buy whatever you need or want."

Bulma blushed, hearing him say 'our'. A feeling she was unfamiliar with suddenly came over her. This was a big deal, and she was feeling touched and embarrassed by his gesture. She knew it went beyond the convenience factor. They both knew it did. "Thanks." she said genuinely, giving his arm a quick, affectionate squeeze.

"Hn. Just don't go buying planets or solar systems. You can barely handle balancing two planets right now as it is." Vegeta grunted out, turning his attention back to the reptilian who continued to work diligently in granting her access to the Saiyan's account and programming an exact copy of the prince's microchip for her.

Bulma responded by sticking her tongue out at him. "Please, you're not _that_ rich."

"If that's what you want to think." Vegeta smirked.

"Really? Hmm, well now I guess I can check the account balance and find out." Bulma joked lightly, earning a glare from Vegeta.

"You women, no matter what planet you are from, you are all the same." he scowled slightly, shaking his head a bit.

"Ha ha." Bulma mused as she rolled her eyes, leaning into Vegeta's side and nudging him lightly. "Lighten up. If you're not careful, that scowl on your face will become permanent."

"Just like the ugly on yours?" Vegeta said, turning to look at her with amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Jerk." Bulma tried hard to get offended, but the faint smile on her lips betrayed her.

"Brat." Vegeta replied automatically. He was about to say something else to her when the reptilian teller, who had been keenly listening and observing them while he worked, decided now was as good a time as any to interrupt them.

"Prince Vegeta, the transaction has been completed. The duplicate microchip has been programmed. She will have full access to your account, as soon as I get a sample of her blood."

"Blood?" Bulma echoed, not expecting to hear what the reptile just said.

"Yes, I need your blood. DNA confirmation will allow you to come in here and perform any other transactions than can otherwise not be completed with a microchip." the raspy reptilian voice told her.

Bulma looked over at Vegeta, who looked at her with curiosity. "What woman? You can't tell me you're afraid of shedding a little blood now, are you?"

"No, I'm not afraid." Bulma retorted, giving Vegeta a challenging look, before turning to look back at the Saurian. "What must I do?"

"Place a few blood drop samples on this…" the reptile said, removing a protective cover from part of the counter they were at. Bulma looked at it in realization. She was the one who had invented and designed this! The only sure way to verify who someone was, was by DNA. Shapeshifters could always take on the appearance of someone, fingerprints could always be manipulated or faked, but DNA _never_ lied. She had constructed this system as a security system for top ranked military personnel back on Earth, and when producing it on Vegetasei, she thought it would be for the Saiyan militia…not for use as this type of bank security.

"Nice." Bulma said to Vegeta, impressed that the Saiyans had one of the most elite banks in the universe using her technology.

"Well, get on with it woman, we don't have all day." Vegeta said, encouraging her to hurry up.

"What am I supposed to do, bite myself?" Bulma asked off-handedly, unsure of how exactly to give a blood sample. The idea of cutting herself open was not something she planned on doing right on the spot. What would she use to cut herself with, anyway?

"I'll bite you, if you're too afraid to do it yourself." Vegeta told her, reaching for her forearm and pretending to get ready to bite her.

"No!" Bulma squealed out a bit, pulling her arm away from him and throwing him a dirty glare.

"Calm down woman, I won't bite you." Vegeta said with a slightly dark chuckle as Bulma eyed him warily. He then proceeded to raise a single gloved index finger up to her, igniting his blue ki at the tip of it. "Give me your hand." he told her in a menacing tone, trying to give her a scare.

Bulma bit her lip as she saw his powerful ki at his fingertip. She was forced to think about the energy levels he could put out, as she remembered the data printouts from earlier that day. So much power and strength he held within him…enough to blow up planets if he wished. She saw the dark amusement in Vegeta's eyes and her own blazed with challenge as she reluctantly held out her hand to him. The prince took her hand in his own free hand, bringing his ki to the tip of her finger, gently slicing a small cut in it. Bulma had winced, but it turned out that it didn't hurt as much as she thought it would. She watched as her blood started to emerge slowly out of the wound. To her veiled surprise, Vegeta then guided her bloody finger over to the scanner and squeezed it, as they both watched a few big drops of her red blood drip onto it.

"Perfect." the reptilian said, watching as the device absorbed her blood and ran the DNA analysis, programming itself into the computer and forever linking her to the prince's bank account. And as the reptilian finished up the transaction, Vegeta pulled Bulma's hand away from the scanner, raising his ki around his hand as it momentarily held hers, and gave it a quick squeeze. His hold on her hand lasted only a couple of seconds, but as Bulma's hand was freed, she brought it up to her gaze for inspection. She expected to see her finger cut…but instead her small wound was all healed.

The unnamable emotion she felt for him grew within her a little more as she looked back up at Vegeta in wonderment. The prince, for the moment, was trying his best to ignore her as he studied the reptilian's work intensely. The woman didn't need to know this would be a permanent transaction, and as the system accepted her DNA code, he felt his chest burn with some sort of feeling he could not place a name to. Vegeta had spent countless times rationalizing to himself that they had known each other their entire lives, and practically lived with each other on both of their worlds….he could trust her. They were always forever going to be tied to each other, one way or another, so _why not _have her added to everything he owned and controlled?

She didn't need to know this transaction went beyond sharing only his money with her. She technically was an heiress to half the Saiyan empire now. Not that she needed to know that just yet. Or ever.

* * *

Bulma was all too glad to leave the huge bank, and every step further away from it and the guards, the more she felt like she could relax. Especially after that reptilian teller looked at her strangely after the transactions were complete, bowing deeply to her this time, as he had done with Vegeta right before they left. "Well that didn't take very long, considering it was a bank." she said light-heartedly, deciding not to ponder over it as she took another look at her now healed finger that held her new microchip between it and her thumb. Bulma reached behind her to put the chip in the back pocket of her jean skirt, and looked over at Vegeta who had stopped in his tracks and gave her a stern look.

"Really, woman? I just gave you a chip that grants access to one of the biggest accounts in the universe, and you put that chip in your back pocket like it's nothing?" Vegeta groused, looking at Bulma with a scowl as they paused momentarily on the pathway.

Bulma looked at him incredulously. "You didn't seem to have a problem with my old chip coming from my back pocket earlier."

"Will you just find a safer place to keep it at?" Vegeta grumbled, wondering if he had already made a mistake.

"Like where, Vegeta?" Bulma asked in an agitated tone, raising her arms up in mild frustration as she looked at him expectantly. "Look at what I'm wearing. A jean skirt and a straplesss tube top. Where else do you expect me to put it?!"

"Hell if I know, woman! Didn't you bring capsules?"

"How is that any safer, Vegeta? I could just as easily lose the capsule." Bulma reasoned, placing her hands on her hips.

"Well at least you could have brought a secure capsule! That way if you did lose one, chances are no one would be able to open it up!"

"Why in hell would I bring a secure one, Vegeta? We're going to be buying tons and tons of metal and materials for your gravity room. I brought _practical_ capsules that can hold that much volume and quantity." Bulma said, beginning to get irritated, not knowing why Vegeta was so tense about this topic.

"Well then put the damn chip inside one of them, and let's get going." Vegeta growled, beginning to walk off again, when Bulma stood in front of him and stopped him.

"Well I am not putting it in one! I'm not going to keep popping open a capsule every time I need to use the chip." Bulma said stubbornly, standing her ground against Vegeta.

"You drive me crazy, woman." Vegeta said, the tip of his tail flickering against his hip in agitation as he glared down at her.

"Fine, Vegeta! How about I just put it here?" Bulma remarked sarcastically, taking the chip out of her back pocket and opening up the front of her tube top just enough to slip the chip between her chest and her strapless bra. She then looked at Vegeta with a challenging look. "Happy now?"

He watched with mild amusement at the woman's solution. "At least you don't have to worry about anyone wanting to reach in there and get it now." the prince couldn't help his snarky remark. "It's safe as hell in there."

"Ugh, you're such an asshole!" Bulma complained, keeping the microchip nestled between her skin and her bra, as she crossed her arms across her chest and turned away from Vegeta, beginning to storm off somewhere.

Vegeta's eyebrows furrowed as his gaze narrowed. "Where are _you_ going?" he demanded, following suit.

"I'm hungry, I need something to eat. You're giving me a headache." Bulma responded, as she looked around and tried to determine where anything close to a restaurant on this planet could be at. Everything looked so commerce and commercial on the planet….there _had_ to be some eateries around. It had been so many years since she had been on Capital World, she couldn't remember which way to go.

"You're going the wrong way." Vegeta responded after he phased in front of her, effectively bringing her to an abrupt halt as she walked right smack into him.

"Vegeta! What the hell!" Bulma complained, being knocked back slightly. She gave him an annoyed look as she huffed and swore under her breath. She self-consciously smoothed out her clothes. "How would you like it if I almost knocked you down?!"

"Hn. That would be the day." he responded, his eyes glinting with a deep hidden affection for her as he watched her gather her bearings after he so rudely got in her way. "Like I said, you're going the wrong way."

"Well, which way are the restaurants, then?" Bulma demanded from him.

"Hmm, I can't seem to remember…" Vegeta baited her, knowing he was pushing her buttons.

"Vegeta, I'm _hungry_, and you're starting to make me cranky. If you want me to build you your gravity room, then let's get something to eat, otherwise I might just forget how to build you anything!"

Vegeta's eyes narrowed, his dark pupils reflecting anger at her veiled threat. "We are _not_ here on one of your day trips. Neither one of us has all day to waste. We only came here to get you the credits you need to buy the materials for my gravity room." Vegeta said sternly, giving Bulma a disapproving look. "Now we're going to go buy the materials, whether you like it or not. That in itself is going to take most of the afternoon." he finished off grumpily.

Honestly, he wasn't in any rush to get back home to Vegetasei like he made it seem to be. He was already in a deep amount of trouble after his stunts he pulled earlier this morning. He was sure by now that his parents and the royal palace realized he was off-planet again. His parents were going to be furious. Beyond furious. Absolutely enraged. Nappa and Radditz were going to get into a hell of a lot of trouble over not keeping track of him also. They were going to be pissed off at him also. But, the damage was already done, and going back right away would not make anything better. Hell, he figured he was already in plenty of trouble, so what if he took a few more hours out of his day to go eat and then get the materials? Maybe he wouldn't even go back to Vegetasei tonight. He thought about staying on Earth overnight, but that idiot fiancée of hers would probably try to come around and cause more trouble, and if Yamcha pushed his buttons one more time, it would be the last time he ever did so. Guaranteed.

"C'mon Vegeta…" Bulma whined slightly as she held her stomach, breaking the prince out of his dark thoughts. "You can't tell me you're not hungry either! You're Saiyan, you're _always_ hungry."

Okay, so he was hungry. "Hn. But unlike yourself, I can put off my own needs and desires to get work done first. You can eat when we get back home." Vegeta told her stubbornly, not wanting to give in so easily. Hell, he was going to make her work for it.

"But I'm _starving_…" Bulma complained, deciding to change her tactics against Vegeta and gave him a sad, pleading puppy-dog look. "All I had for breakfast was that damn cupcake, and that's it. It's past lunchtime. C'mon, feed me." she coaxed.

Vegeta glared at her, his dark eyes boring into hers. Getting some food wasn't a bad idea at all, and as he looked into her impossibly blue eyes, he felt that today could be a very good day if they could just continue to get along. He was filled with a renewed sense of patience as something deep within him urged him to take advantage of this rare and precious time they had, _away_ from their respective planets, _away_ from their responsibilities and obligations…_away_ from it all . He had so much work to do, and so did she…but she didn't seem in any great urge to get back to Earth for any reason, and he lacked desire to go back to Vegetasei for more than one reason. The main reason being the beautiful blue-haired human engineer who wanted to have lunch with him and spend the day with _him_, instead of being with her own fiancée.

Much to Vegeta's chagrin, he gave into her demands. "Fine woman, but only because I don't want to hear you moaning and bitching and complaining about being hungry the whole time. I'd rather be deaf than listen to you whine all day."

"Great!" Bulma said, happy that Vegeta agreed to them getting something to eat first before going to get the materials for his gravity room. She completely ignored his grouchiness, knowing he was probably hungry also. For whatever reason, her mother's words rang in her head about the way to get to a man's heart was through his stomach. She inwardly pushed the thought away as she smiled at him "Lead the way."

Vegeta let out an irritable sigh as he nodded his head to the left, motioning for her to follow him. They walked off together down the busy, winding streets and pathways, past the crowds of alien beings to a different, more relaxed, luxurious-looking part of the city that held upscale restaurants.

* * *

Yamcha flew over the grounds of Capsule Corp, unsure if Bulma had banned him from access to the complex like she had threatened him last night. He saw the land dotted with various craters, upheaved chucks of rock, earth, and grass that made the once perfectly landscaped grounds look like a war zone. As he neared Bulma's home, he saw workers down below, quickly working at fixing up the ground, filling the craters, and re-landscaping the immediate area around their house.

Without a sound, Yamcha landed slowly near the front door entrance to the house, glad to see his sports car where he had left it, still intact. He thought for sure that Bulma would have had it towed away and crushed into a small cube of twisted metal at the junkyard. He took it as a good sign that maybe she wasn't that mad at him, at least not _that much _anymore, since she had the night to sleep and think things over. Renewed with hope, he rang the doorbell, waiting for his future mother or father in-law to answer the door. He had searched for Vegeta's energy signature as he neared Capsule Corp, and to his great relief found that he was no where to be found. He just didn't think to look for Bulma's ki also, otherwise he would have realize that she wasn't anywhere to be found either.

The door opened, and like déjà vu, Bunny found Yamcha standing at their doorstep again. She sighed inwardly, knowing that he was going to come around and try to talk with her daughter. "Yamcha? What are you doing here?" she asked him neutrally, seeing him in a much different light after the terrible things he had said and done to Vegeta, according to what Bulma had told her last night.

"I'm here to see if I'm still getting married this Saturday." Yamcha said somewhat sheepishly, figuring Bunny already knew what happened between him and Vegeta. It was a rhetorical question though, and Bunny was glad that it was, since she wouldn't be able to give Yamcha an answer. She wasn't sure if Bulma knew that answer either.

"Bulma's not here, honey." Bunny told him in a soft, serious tone.

"She's not?" Yamcha said, concentrating on her ki and not sensing her anywhere on the compound. He stretched his senses further, trying to see if maybe she was at work across the city, but he couldn't sense her there either. After a moment, his eyes grew serious. "She's on Vegetasei already, isn't she?" he said, remembering what Vegeta had said last night to Goku about bringing her there.

Bunny nodded. "Yes, Goku took her early this morning. She had work to do on Vegeta's gravity room."

Yamcha's demeanor darkened at hearing Goku and Vegeta's names. He was still pissed at Goku for what he did, and if he hated Vegeta before, he hated him with a white hot passion now. Yamcha couldn't help the feeling of betrayal he felt…was Bulma always going to favor Vegeta and his demands over his own? Was he always going to be second place to that monkey prince? "When will she be back?" he asked in a stern tone.

Bunny bit her lower lip as she held the door halfway open, not knowing what to say to him. After a moment, she sighed. "I don't know Yamcha. She said she would be back in a few hours, but you know how she is. She will probably be gone all day, knowing her."

Yamcha fisted his hands, feeling some sort of unexplainable rage at hearing this. Here he was, thinking that he was going to talk with Bulma about last night, patch things up with her, and help out with whatever marriage arrangements were left. Instead, she didn't check up on him or talk with him before running off to Vegetasei. Running off to tend to Vegeta's every whim. "I guess I'll just wait here until she gets back then, if you don't mind." he said tersely, looking at Bunny expectantly.

"Alright, but you might be here a long time." Bunny said softly, opening the door wider and letting Yamcha in, watching him take a seat on one of their comfy couches as he crossed his arms over his chest in anger.

"It's fine, I've got all day for her."

'And she's got all day for Vegeta…' Bunny couldn't help but think to herself, as she shut the door and smoothed out her dress before turning around and giving Yamcha a small smile. "Would you like something to eat?" she offered, knowing that Yamcha was going to be there waiting for a very long time.

"Not right now, thank you." Yamcha said as kindly as he could, as he remained sitting, seething in anger and frustration over his fiancée and that damned Saiyan. Was Goku right? He had dismissed Goku's words to him the night before, but now he had to wonder…_did_ Vegeta hold that much sway over Bulma? When it came down to it, would she really choose Vegeta over him?

Well, he decided he was going to find out. One way or another.

* * *

Things are getting interesting, wouldn't you say? We have yet to find out what Yamcha had said to Goku that morning. What do you think he said? How do you like what's going on between Vegeta and Bulma? And how about the ending of this chapter? Please let me know what you're thinking and feeling! I'm almost at 200 reviews, which is amazing! I never thought I'd have so many! Thanks for reading, everyone!


	13. Heartbeat

Remember in the previous chapter that I mentioned my laptop was blue-screening and crashing? Well a couple of days after I uploaded the previous chapter, my laptop finally gave out and got the black screen of death. We took it to Best Buy, they said in 3 days it would be fixed. We returned, to find out they did a factory reset on it, and it still was not working. They kept it for another week. We returned a week later, only to find out they can't fix it, and no one ever called and told us. We made them ship my laptop off to their repair center, and five days later I got a call saying the motherboard was bad, and it would be $525 to fix it. Honestly it was a rip-off to pay that much to fix a gaming laptop that is almost 4 years old. I wanted to buy a new gaming laptop because I refused to pay $525 to fix the laptop when getting a newer one was much better overall. After much debate, I decided I didn't need a gaming laptop and could get a regular netbook, so that I could at least keep writing my story. My hubby said it wouldn't make me happy because I love playing World of Warcraft and we'd bicker over who got to play it on the desktop, if I didn't have a gaming laptop of my own. We talked things over for another week, and I agreed he was right. Meanwhile, Best Buy sent our laptop back to us since we never made a decision to fix it. I resorted to shopping on eBay for the motherboard, and found some for between $250-$325 dollars. Luckily I found a seller with a great reputation who sold me the motherboard I needed for $170. My husband's cousin happens to also be a computer whiz, and he was kind enough to install it for free. So finally, almost two months later, my laptop is back up and running, with all my original data still there (they never did a factory reset like they said they did!).

Couple this whole laptop nightmare with the Thanksgiving holiday (had it at my house for the first time, I cooked my first turkey, which came out great!), the horribly busy season at work (no time at all to do anything but work and sleep and breathe), and Christmas and New Year's (both at my house again, with relatives who stayed from Christmas through New Year's), and all of you wonderful readers who have been waiting so patiently for me to update (and the self-imposed pressure I had in knowing I had nothing to update since my laptop was down for the count), now you know why it's taken me almost 2 months to update. Didn't help that my husband's desktop does not have Microsoft on it, so I couldn't write my story on it. I learned I could go on fan fiction dot net and try to write my story there as a document, but I can't access personal sites at work (rarely got a lunch break anyway) and honestly, at home either I was too busy with family, holidays, too tired, or hubby was using the computer to even get close to finishing this chapter.

Well, the good news that I'm back! My laptop is running better than ever, I copied and pasted what I had written down for this chapter so far onto a Word document, and have spent my day off doing nothing but writing the chapter up. I've missed all of you, and I hope you've missed me and this story also! Thank you to everyone for continuing to follow the story and just know that I adore you all very much. I hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year holiday also! Even though I hadn't been able to write, I did tons and tons of thinking about this story, and I've got some fun stuff coming up. I think you'll enjoy it. I think you'll flip out. I think you may fall in love with this story all over again.

**A/N:** I don't own Dragonball Z. I did, however, just finish writing the longest chapter of this story so far. I have to say that it's by far my most favorite chapter.

**2nd A/N:** The two sections of this chapter (located at the beginning and at the end) that are in italics are flashbacks/memories/backstory. You will be reading one right off the bat, and it may not make any sense now, but by the time you finish reading this chapter it will make sense. I hope at least it will.

Okay, enough rambling on my end….ladies and gentlemen, for your reading pleasure, I present to you the next installment. I hope you enjoy it!

And please take a moment to read the quote below. It's meaning is very important for this chapter.

* * *

"But some emotions don't make a lot of noise. It's hard to hear pride. Caring is real faint…like a heartbeat. And pure love…why, some days it's so quiet, you don't even know it's there."

**Chapter 13- Heartbeat**

"_Give it back to me!" a young Bulma demanded from the flame-haired boy._

"_How about you make me!" a young Vegeta taunted, quickly darting around the corner of the couch, always staying one step ahead of the blue-haired girl._

"_Mom!" Bulma yelled out in a whine. "Vegeta won't give me back my toy!"_

"_Vegeta…be nice." Bunny scolded in a loving cluck from somewhere nearby._

"_Yeah, be nice!" Bulma reaffirmed, holding her hand out expectantly for the toy he currently held in his grasp._

_The young prince looked at her hand, then back up at her with a mischievous smile. "If you can catch me, I'll give it back to you." With that being said, Vegeta quickly took to the air, levitating upward almost to the ceiling, well out of the reach of the young girl._

_Bulma stomped her foot down. "That's not fair, I can't fly!" she complained as she tried to jump up to reach him, and was failing horribly._

"_It's not my fault you're not Saiyan." Vegeta grinned as he continued to hover in the air. _

"_Vegeta, give it back!" Bulma demanded of him again, "or you'll be sorry!"_

"_Come and get it!" the young prince taunted again. _

"_Vegeta, my boy, don't make her mad." Dr. Brief said calmly as he walked through the living room, making his way through to the kitchen._

_Vegeta, temporarily distracted by Dr. Brief's appearance, did not realize that Bulma could in fact reach him. Suddenly he felt his tail being yanked downward, and hard. Bulma had jumped off from the coffee table with all her strength and managed to get a firm hold of his tail which he had mistakenly left uncurled and dangling. He let out a growl of pain and annoyance as they both came crashing back down to the carpeted floor._

_A few cracks were heard, as well as some unpleasant grumbles as the toy that had the unfortunate luck of being under them had broken._

"_Owww…" Bulma said, righting herself up to a sitting position and rubbing her left shoulder._

"_I can't believe you yanked my tail!" Vegeta scolded as he gingerly massaged it while he shot her a stern glare._

"_I told you you'd be sorry." Bulma said, sticking out her tongue at him as she began to stand up. "So, I caught you….deal's a deal. My toy, please." the young girl said somewhat smugly._

"_Fair enough." the young prince grumbled, getting up also, only to see Bulma's toy broken underneath him._

"_Vegeta!" the young girl gasped, kneeling down and rummaging through the broken pieces of her toy. "You broke it!"_

"_I did not!" he countered, seeing her favorite toy utterly destroyed. "We both broke it."_

"_If you had given it back to me when I said so, then this wouldn't have happened!" Bulma said, her voice quivering enough that Vegeta sensed she was trying not to cry._

"_Don't cry, girl, I hate it when you cry." Vegeta warned her, his face etched in a slight scowl._

"_I'm not crying!" she stubbornly insisted, as a few sniffles escaped her, giving away otherwise. She gathered the broken pieces in her hands, and stood up, walking past Vegeta without so much as a look at him as she made her way to her daddy. Her daddy could fix anything….and someday, so would she._

* * *

Bulma couldn't explain the feeling of sudden nervousness that set in as they entered the restaurant and were quickly shown to their seats. Per Vegeta's request, they had a private, closed off section located at the very back where it was much quieter. Upon arriving at the table, Vegeta had remained standing, albeit somewhat awkwardly, waiting for her to sit down first at their curved booth-like table. She felt somewhat self-conscious as she quickly got the hint and took her seat. It may not have meant anything, really…but most would agree that having the Prince of Saiyans show her such respect and manners was a big deal. She watched as Vegeta then took his seat. Instead of choosing to sit across from her, he chose to sit closer next to her.

Bulma tried to hide her blush by distracting herself, choosing to glance around at their surroundings. The restaurant they were in was beautiful. It was much fancier than she had thought was necessary. It was dim inside the restaurant, the place was adorned with yellow diamond-like crystals that seemed to emit their own warm, radiating energy, giving the restaurant an almost romantic feel to it. Perhaps that was causing her slight nervousness. It wasn't exactly a place she would think Vegeta to take her. Not for a simple, quick lunch, at least.

She continued to look around, watching the servers gently hover over their tables, attending to whatever whims the patrons so desired. They were odd looking creatures indeed, grey-colored, small, with large round bald heads and black round eyes. They seemed very kind though, and genuinely happy to serve. One thing she noted was that they did not seem to fear Vegeta as he walked through the restaurant, even with his intimidating aura and all. Temporarily distracted by her wandering thoughts and by the beautiful restaurant, she did not pay attention to what Vegeta was currently telling their server. Bulma's attention was quickly drawn to movement in the corner of her eye as their server quickly hurried away from them. She turned her gaze in time to watch their server scamper off, and then she turned her attention to Vegeta, who was looking at her dead-on with a look that she could not in a hundred years ever decipher. "What?" she asked him softly, not knowing why he was looking at her like that.

Vegeta had been subtly watching her, studying Bulma's body language and facial expressions as they first took their seats. It was sometimes very hard to get a read on her, but as he ordered their drinks and their food, he continued to watch her as she studied and analyzed everything in her sight. Her attention to detail was only second to his, and he could tell that she very much liked the place he had brought her to. "I figured this would be as good of a place as any. The sooner I get you fed, the sooner I can quit hearing you complain about it." he said, reclining back in his seat, outstretching both of his arms and resting them on top of the cushions that their booth had.

"It's a very nice place." she smirked, feeling her nervousness start to edge away as she sank backward into the cushions a little, trying to make herself more comfortable like he was doing. "Pretty fancy for a lunch date." she joked. "I have to say, I'm feeling underdressed though."

"There's nothing wrong with how you're dressed, woman." Vegeta replied nonchalantly. "I'm hardly dressed for this place either." he said, gesturing to his business armor.

Bulma perked up an eyebrow. "You mean you _actually_ wear something other than your armor and training gear?" she feigned like she was going to pass out as she raised the back of her hand to her forehead dramatically. "Call the ambulance, I'm about to die from shock." she joked, giving him a teasing smile.

"There are no ambulances around here, woman." Vegeta smirked. "Nearest medical station is two planets over, so good luck with that."

"Seriously, you could teleport me there if you had to."

"I already told you, I'm not going to be your intergalactic chauffer." he replied, to which he received a kick to his foot from under the table. Vegeta countered, kicking her foot back. Bulma threw him a warning glare as she kicked him back again, only to have him kick again also. Their playful banter was put on pause as their server quickly appeared with their drinks. She respectfully placed four drinks in front of Vegeta, and two drinks in front of the beautiful female he was with. With a hasty bow to them both, the server quickly retreated to tend to the rest of their order.

Bulma eyed her gorgeous glassware, which looked more like some sort of purplish crystal that had a dim glow to it. She peered inside the glass, looking at the unfamiliar drink that was awaiting her. She looked back over at Vegeta, who had four rather large crystal-looking mugs that held some other type of drink in them that was different from hers.

"What's this?" she asked curiously as she picked up her own glass.

"Try it." he said as he picked up the first of his mugs and drank from it. He watched as Bulma looked back at her drink, and shrugging her shoulders, brought the glass to her lips. She trusted him. He wouldn't give her anything that was disgusting. His dark eyes studied her as she timidly drank from her glass, awaiting her reaction.

"Wow, this is delicious." she gushed, taking another drink from it. It reminder her of some sort of strawberry or passion fruit nectar. It had a slight fizz to it, and it had an aftertaste of what reminded her of wine.

"Figured you'd like it." Vegeta shrugged off. "It's the closest thing to strawberry flavored around these parts."

"It's good, thanks." Bulma said with an affectionate tone, feeling that nervousness tug at her again as she shot him a warm smile. Deciding to preoccupy herself with her new favorite drink, and avoid thinking about how he made a effort to get her something that she would actually enjoy, she turned her gaze away from him and continued to look around at her surroundings. And here she thought they were just going to grab a quick bite to eat, and head off to get his materials for his new gravity room as soon as possible. But by the looks of things, it seemed like he was no longer in a real rush to get going.

Vegeta simply nodded, as he continued to sip on his own drink and look around also. He started to feel apprehensive. It was extremely rare for the both of them to sit down together and eat. At her home, her mom was usually around, and back at his home, everyone ate in the grand dining hall. He couldn't think of the last time when it was just the two of them alone.

"This is so weird…when's the last time we've had a meal together?" Bulma asked out of nowhere, and Vegeta gave her a quizzical look. Apparently their thoughts were on the same track.

"Last night, don't you remember?" he said matter-of-factly.

She rolled her eyes slightly. "That's not what I mean. And that doesn't count, since you pissed me off and made me leave my food behind. I meant, when's the last time _you and I_ had lunch together, without either of our families or other people around us?"

He shrugged. "It's been long enough that even I don't remember." Vegeta answered honestly as he tried to think about it.

After a few moments, they both came up empty handed. "Ah well…guess it doesn't matter, we're here now." Bulma murmured, shrugging as she continued to sip now from her drink, already feeling better by having gotten something in her stomach.

"Hn." Vegeta agreed, as his thoughts quickly detoured from their conversation, to wondering what was going on back at his home planet. It would be painfully obvious by now that he was AWOL again. He wondered if his parents had cancelled the rest of the meetings today, or if they'd continue on without him. It wouldn't be the first time. He was sure they had Nappa and Raditz patrolling the palace, ready to jump on him the moment he got back to Vegetasei. Raditz might try to actually kill him this time for being away from their protective watch for the hundredth time. Nappa might actually be pissed this time at him too. He was also sure that word had gotten around to his parents that Bulma had been there to fix his machine. They would be able to put two and two together and realize that he took off somewhere with her. He would bet that they were trying to get Kakarot to sense his ki out and bring him back to Vegetasei. That's assuming Goku was even still on Vegetasei. If he had returned to Earth for the day then there was no way his parents, or his bodyguards, or anyone else could get into contact with him…as long as the third class fool didn't answer his scouter.

Knowing Vegeta's luck, Goku wouldn't be that smart.

Vegeta wondered if his mother was really going to cut off his tail this time. She had warned him that he better remain planet-bound today. Well, more like threatened. And here he was, completely NOT on Vegetasei….but instead on a different world with Bulma, adding her to his account, giving her half the empire, and having a 'lunch date' with her. He sighed irritably. He swore that Bulma was going to be the death of him. He was sure his father was going to try to put him on lockdown. No way would anyone let him leave off-planet after today. To add insult to injury, he was sure his parents would probably try to make Kakarot his own personal prison warden, since he was the only other Saiyan who could use Instant Transmission and bring him right back if he decided to leave off-planet again.

The King and Queen were going to really lay down the hammer on him whenever he went back home.

Suddenly he didn't feel like going back home tonight.

"Vegeta?" Bulma's voice broke though his despondent thoughts, and he gave her a questioning look.

"What?" he asked, picking up his mug again and taking a drink. A big, long drink.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." he answered simply, not wanting to think any longer about the possible repercussions of his actions. He would have to face the consequences later. Not today, perhaps, but soon enough.

"Were you even listening to me?"

"No." he answered truthfully, earning a huff from Bulma. He watched as she grabbed a holographic device that was located near the center of their table and held it up to him. The device projected a 4D hologram of different intergalactic advertisements and events and he waited with veiled curiosity as she scrolled through the ads with a wave of her other hand until she came upon the event she was looking for.

"Look! The AR-158 meteor shower is going on tonight off of planet Demesor! There's outdoor staging, with a banquet, what looks like an orchestra, and of course, the main event!" Bulma gushed excitedly. "Let's go!"

Vegeta's eyebrows furrowed as he took the device from her and expanded the event advertisement, watching as the alien in the ad mentioned that only the top elite were going to view the spectacular meteor shower and auroras, all the while enjoying a nice evening out under the stars. "Woman, this a big event. It's by invitation only."

"So? You're elite. You're the Prince of Saiyans. Didn't you get an invitation?"

"Hell if I know. I don't have time, nor do I care enough to filter through useless digital intergalactic messages." Vegeta responded, setting the holographic device back down on their table.

"Don't you want to go?"

"No."

"But I want to go." Bulma replied, giving a slight pout.

"Woman, the universe does not revolve around you."

"No, the universe does not revolve around me," she quipped, "it's just our two beautiful planets that do." Bulma finished arrogantly, giving Vegeta a smug grin to which earned her an annoyed roll of his eyes. "Seriously Vegeta, don't you think it would be fun to go to it?"

"I already said no."

"C'mon, why not?" the blue-haired beauty whined slightly. "I never get to go anywhere off-planet anymore, besides Vegetasei! I want to do something fun, and Kami knows what a workaholic _you_ are. You need a break also! C'mon Vegeta, we have nothing to do tonight. Let's go."

"I do not _need_ a break, and there is plenty to do tonight. You are buying the materials you need for my gravity machine, and you're going to start working on it tonight…or did you forget your promise of having it done in a few weeks?"

"I also said _maybe_ I would have it done in a month and a half, at the most." Bulma countered. "Besides, by the time I find all the materials…assuming I can get them all today…it will be too late to start working on it." Bulma reasoned, earning a stern look from Vegeta.

"Don't you have obligations on Earth tonight?"

"What?" Bulma said, momentarily caught off-guard by the question. "No, I don't have anything going on tonight." she responded, even though in the back of her head she knew she had to talk to Yamcha about what had happened the night before. But still, she reasoned, that could wait until tomorrow. Rare were opportunities like this when they were both away from work and their responsibilities, and had the whole day and night to really do whatever they wanted…if she could just convince him!

Vegeta remained stern, turning his gaze away from Bulma's pleading look, to elsewhere, as he watched other patrons in the restaurant. He noticed how many of them would subtly turn their gaze away from him. Word would quickly spread that he was having lunch with a beautiful female, in a private booth, during the middle of the day, on a planet that was not his own. He let out an agitated sigh. "The event is tonight. I'm sure by now there are no invitations left, nor room for any extra guests. We won't have the time to go anyway, because the materials _need_ to be purchased today. Even if everything cannot be found today, we need to get most of it done, and you need to start working on it as soon as possible, because I won't be able to train on Earth again for a long time. I have a lot of work to do on Vegetasei and for my empire…I'm not sure when I'll even be able to go off-planet again." he reluctantly told her, not wanting to give her even an inkling that he had put himself into scalding hot water from his actions so far today. She didn't need to know that he probably would not be allowed to leave Vegetasei for a very long time after he returned.

"Oh." Bulma said softly. She took a couple of quiet moments to contemplate his words. He spoke the truth, and his logic was correct. "I suppose you're right, Vegeta." she said in a sad, disappointed tone that rang hard though Vegeta's heart. "You're right, we need to get the materials for your gravity room, and I need to build it fast. Before we know it, we're both going to be too busy here soon to do anything, really..." she trailed off, picking up her drink and taking a gulp from it, trying to stifle that bitter feeling that had been hitting her lately…that sick, twisted feeling that she was running out of time. "Just wanted to spend time and do something awesome with you, that's all." she told him, averting her gaze to something else other than him.

Vegeta inhaled a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "We're spending time together right now." he stated. Seeing she had no immediate reply, he decided to break the uneasiness between them by gently nudging her foot with his own.

Bulma turned back to Vegeta and gave him a small, half-hearted smile. "Yeah, I know." she relented as she pushed the holographic device away from between them, to be quickly forgotten about. He was right, they were spending time together right now. She should have been glad that this was even happening. How could she really help that she wanted nothing more than to spend all day with him? What was this feeling she was having? She supposed she just missed him terribly, she reasoned, and it was something she just couldn't voice to him. Not when it seemed he wouldn't understand. Their server appeared with their food, along with a few other servers behind her, holding multiple trays of food as well. She was grateful for the good timing, since her thoughts were beginning to feel much too real.

Bulma watched as they began to serve them. She decided to change the subject. "Well, I'd say I'm surprised at all this food and say you couldn't eat all, but knowing you, which I completely do…I'm sure you can." she mused, watching as plateful upon plateful were laid down before them.

"Well you said you were starving, so I better see you eat." Vegeta countered, dismissing the servers with a wave of his hand. They bowed to him and quickly retreated to leave the Saiyan prince and his female guest alone. He watched Bulma as she looked at all the different types of meats and vegetation and wonderful-smelling culinary concoctions that he had ordered.

"Well, here goes nothing…" Bulma said as she grabbed a utensil the servers had given them. It wasn't quite like a fork back home, instead it had two prongs instead of four, and the outside edges of them were deadly sharp, for cutting into meat.

"Be careful with that." Vegeta warned as he sliced into his own food with his ki, and began to eat it.

"I know how to use one of these." Bulma assured as she flipped the utensil over to use the other end, which was a single sharp prong, and stabbed her cuts of meat and carefully brought it to her mouth. She began to chew it, and she had to say that it was a delicious cut of meat. "Mmmm, this is good food, Vegeta. Hey, what are you eating?"

"Dragon." he stated, popping a few yellowish-beige looking pieces of vegetable into his mouth, as he went for another piece of his dragon meat.

"Oh wow, can I try that?" Bulma more said than asked, as she reached over and stabbed her utensil into a piece of dragon meat, and began to eat off his plate. "Oh my goodness, this is amazing." she said as she continued to pick off of Vegeta's plate, trying one of those potato or squash-looking vegetables he had.

Vegeta growled a bit as he let her begin to take food from his plate, but it was a soft growl of annoyance. "You're lucky I don't bite your hand off." he told her. "How would you like it if I took from your plate?" and proceeded to do just that. He skewered a large chunk of meat from her plate and began taking bites of it, giving her a smug look as he did so. He expected her to complain, but instead, found a playful smile on her face.

"Seems fair enough." Bulma answered, earning a slight smile from him. She picked up her second glass of the fruit drink and silently offered Vegeta to have a taste, to which he acquiesced to.

The Saiyan prince and the genius heiress continued to share their food and drink with each other, enjoying the other's company, for they both had forgotten how well they truly could get along when they made the effort. A few hours passed as they remained at the restaurant for longer than originally intended.

* * *

"Man, I'm stuffed. I think I'm ready for a nap now." Bulma joked as she rubbed her stomach with one hand and stifled a yawn with the other.

"A nap would be nice." he agreed, reflecting a stifled yawn also as they walked out of the restaurant. He watched as she winced her eyes a bit, forgetting that it was still daylight out.

"Thanks for lunch, it was great." told him, to which he nodded slightly.

"Alright woman, we have work to do now. We've already wasted enough time as it is." the prince said as he looked up into the sky, trying to gauge what time it was on Capital World. Definitely after midday, he figured, which meant it was just about evening time on Vegetasei and on Earth already.

"Okay, let's get going then!" Bulma said, stretching out her arms and her back. The booth they had been in turned out to be too inviting and comfortable for their liking, and after their meal they forced themselves to get going, otherwise they might have remained there for even longer. Not that she would have minded. The quality time together was something she dearly missed with him. Her train of thought was broken when Vegeta's tail suddenly wrapped around her waist and she was quickly pulled against him. "Hey, no need to be rough…" she began, only to notice a serious, stern look on his face as he quickly raised two fingers to his forehead.

Vegeta had just enough time to see the looks of utter surprise on Raditz and Nappa's faces, as well as the apologetic look on Goku's face, as they helplessly watched him quickly teleport off of Capital World with Bulma in tow. The prince had sensed Goku's strong ki around the corner…as well as the ki's that belonged to his bodyguards. So much for thinking they had him cornered.

The scenery changed around Vegeta and Bulma in a blur of speed, as they found themselves on the dark, industrial planet of Xyneon. It was a rugged planet that held one sun and two moons in the sky. The ground was charcoal and auburn colored, the terrain full of mountains and endless hills, with no real plant life around except for tall, dark, ominous trees as big as redwoods. It definitely was a mining and industrial planet, as off in the short distance were the refineries and mills.

"A little warning would have been nice, you know." Bulma huffed as she gently put a hand on her stomach, feeling a slight wave of nausea.

"That's what you get for stuffing yourself." Vegeta smirked as he uncurled his tail around her stood serious for a moment, wondering if Kakarot was going to be able to find his ki signal again. He was sure he would, he just didn't know how much time he had until he did.

Bulma gathered her bearings and looked around. "Where are we?"

"On Xyneon."

"Nice! Just cut out the middle man and head straight to the source. I like how you think, sometimes, you know that?" Bulma said as she searched around for the refinery. "Oh, there it is.." she said as she began to head to the building. "So mind telling me what in the hell was the sudden rush to get here?" she asked, her voice trailing off as she walked away from him.

Vegeta continued to concentrate on trying to sense Goku's ki, which he couldn't feel. Good. That meant that Goku would likewise take a while to find his own ki also. It was an eternal universe, after all. He wouldn't know what direction he had gone in. Satisfied that they were a handful of galaxies away from Capital World, he diverted his attention from escaping his captors, and followed after Bulma. "Your best friend and my bodyguards, that's what." he answered her as he caught up to her.

"Goku?" Bulma questioned, giving him a puzzled look. "What do they want? What's going on?" she asked, not having seen them appear on Capital World in the few seconds before they left it.

"Nothing. They want me back on Vegetasei. They should have learned by now that I return when I want to, _not_ when they say." the prince grumbled as they neared the entrance to a very large warehouse.

"Oh…well maybe you should get back home then." Bulma reasoned. "I mean, you're busy, I'm sure you're needed. It must be important if they're trying to find you. Don't worry, I've got the credits now…go home and send Goku with me, I know I can finish up here."

"You're insane woman, I'm doing no such thing." Vegeta said stubbornly.

"Oh for Kami's sake, Vegeta." Bulma groused, rolling her eyes and quickly giving up on the subject as they approached a very tall creature that resembled a cross between an ogre and bodybuilder. "Riko!" she greeted the creature, giving him a big hug as the creature carefully hugged her back.

"Bulma! It's good to see you, little one." Riko greeted back. He saw the prince standing off the side, his arms crossed across his chest, looking somewhat displeased. "Ah, Prince Vegeta, an honor." he said, bowing before the prince. "This is a rare and unexpected visit, but welcomed nonetheless. What brings you both to my factories? Does the Empire have any production or delivery issues that I am unaware of?" he said the last part somewhat nervously, wondering if some of his underlings had gone and done something to warrant a personal visit from the Saiyan prince and the human engineer.

Vegeta nodded his head as a greeting. "No, Riko. We're here on a personal matter. The woman needs to buy an insane amount of metals and supplies."

"Ah, I see." the ogre commented, feeling a flood of relief. "Let me guess, for his gravity room?" Riko said slyly to Bulma, earning a giggle from her.

"You guessed it! You know, half our orders from the palace are materials for repairs and upgrades to that damned machine he loves so much…" Bulma joked as she hooked her arm with Riko's, and they began to walk into the warehouse together. She turned her head over her shoulder and gave Vegeta a teasing wink.

"It's not the materials that are at fault, I like to think it's the engineer." Vegeta smirked, following behind them.

"No, it's the operator." Bulma replied back. "I like to think it's user error."

"Do you really want to start this debate again?" Vegeta threatened lightly.

"Do you?" Bulma responded sarcastically, issuing him a challenge that he was ready to take on, until Riko interrupted them.

"Nice to see you both haven't changed." the gentle giant said. "That said, you know well that you both came to the right place. I will have anything you need, Bulma, anything from organic to semi-organic, to semi-metallic and the purest of metals and raw materials." he leaned down and spoke in a softer, hushed tone. "And even some new materials that haven't even been made available to the general public yet."

Bulma's eyes widened at the last comment. "That's great Riko, because I need lots of metals and materials! I have a lot of crazy ideas for what I want for his new gravity room, so maybe you can help me find what I'm looking for….. "

Vegeta quickly lost interest in their conversation as he followed them inside. He trailed behind them, but only for a short while, as he watched Bulma in one of her many elements. He kept a watchful and protective eye on her, all while maintaining his distance. All the technical crap never really interested him, but the woman and the foreman always had a field day when it came to metals and technology. He saw the sparkle in her eye her and Riko began to talk about what current and other, new, foreign materials were available, their purposed and intended applications, their range of ease when it came to shaping and production, and the availability of replacement if a component were to fail.

Time passed as Riko showed them the various raw supplies he had readily available, and led them to other private, sectioned off areas of the warehouse where they were keeping some of the most rare and unique raw materials. A whole new level of excitement hit Bulma once Riko began to show her samples of the foreign, unfamiliar metals he had, and while she and Riko were distracted and engrossed in their conversation, the prince had decided that now would be a good as a time as any to leave. Without so much as a warning, he touched two fingers to his forehead and teleported off of Xyneon.

* * *

The duo had finished walking through the private sector that held the rare and new metals, and they remained there, discussing estimated measurements on whichever materials she was interested in, as well as the quantity, on top of calculating the cost. As Bulma discussed pricing, she glanced over to see where Vegeta was, and didn't see him around anywhere. Her eyebrows furrowed a bit, thinking he was probably prowling around the warehouse somewhere, taking a look at all the materials and metals, and overseeing how things were being run. Shrugging it off, she continued talking business with Riko.

A short time later, Vegeta, having returned from wherever he had gone to, casually leaned his shoulder against a stack of metals. He crossed his arms across his chest and one ankle over the other as his tail uncurled and slowly swayed, patiently waiting for the business talk to be over with, and for the transactions to begin. He took the time to study Bulma, and saw how focused and serious she was about this. She was trying her best to make him a quality gravity room that would actually last him. Not only that, but she was trying not to break the bank either, so to speak. It wasn't hard to miss the underlying excitement she had. Despite her complaints, he knew she would enjoy building him his new gravity room, not only to make him happy, but as a personal challenge to herself.

She really was an extraordinary woman, he admitted to himself. She was highly intelligent, unbelievably beautiful…not that he would ever admit that out loud. She was wealthy, powerful, and famous in her own right, not only on her planet but also increasingly throughout the universe. She had a kind and forgiving heart, yet at the same time she could be a fiery tempest, for her temper rivaled even his own at times. She was hard-working, loyal, and such a challenge, he mused. That was what really mattered. The Saiyan females…they were all the same. All so damned respectful to him, never wanting to anger him or challenge him. Not one he had met could keep up with his intelligence, or his temper. All of them so willing and eager to bow down before him. They were so compliant. All of them simply vying for the throne and the opportunity to be the princess and future queen of Vegetasei. But not Bulma. From the start, she was a challenge. She always looked him in the eye, always refused to back down from a fight with him, always called him out on whatever it was she thought he was doing wrong, always rivaled him when it came to brains and wit. She would never become subservient to him. She would always continue to look him in the eye and think herself to be his equal. And yes, she was his equal, and had always treated her as such. Bardock was right. She would make a good mate for him.

Bulma had looked around again to see where Vegeta was, and saw him standing off to the side, casually leaning against a stack of metal, watching them. Or watching her, rather. The soft look on his face…it was not what had made her nervous. It was the smolder in his eyes as his dark orbs locked with her blue ones.

_She should be mine_….the animal within him insisted, all the while his rational mind reminded him that she had chosen another.

Bulma excused herself from Riko, and walked over to Vegeta. "Hey you, where'd you run off to?" she asked as she neared him, looking at him… trying to get a read on him. His demeanor was calm, and he continued to look at her with that soft, smoldering look that made those butterflies that she thought were long gone start acting up again.

He searched her face, and what he was looking for, Bulma had no clue. "Are you almost done?" he asked, his voice a dulcet tone, dodging her question as he looked into those impossibly blue eyes.

"Yeah, almost, just need to get the materials capsulated and pay." she responded, wondering what had gotten into him, and why he was looking at her strangely. "Why?" she asked softly, his mysterious behavior contagious as she stepped closer to him.

Vegeta didn't respond right away. Instead, he pushed off his shoulder from the stack of metals he had been leaning against, and instead asked her a question. "How tired are you, woman?"

"What?" Bulma stated, surprised at the off-handed question. "Um…I'm okay. Could use some coffee though, it never hurts…especially if you want me getting started on your machine right away. I figure I can at least start working on the blueprints and schematics for your gravity room tonight."

Satisfied that she still intended to work on his machine, even though it was getting late back on their respective planets, he took a step closer to her. "You're not working on it tonight." and with that, he uncrossed his arms, and in one of his hands held two gold-inlaid invitations.

Bulma looked at the invitations dumbly at first, before reading them and realizing that they were for the AR-158 event on planet Demesor. She gasped in surprise. "Oh my gosh Vegeta…" she trailed off, having a hard time believing that he went and made the effort to actually get the passes for them. "You…you got the invitations?"

"Observant, aren't we?" Vegeta gave her a teasing smirk, to which she playfully smacked his arm, before hugging it.

"Well, now I know where you went off to." she smiled as she took the passes from him and glanced over them. "I can't believe you're taking me."

"Who said _I_ was going? Find someone else to take."

"Ha ha." Bulma replied sarcastically. "Like who?"

"Well you could always take that idiot fiancée of yours." Vegeta told her, secretly pleased when he watched her crinkle her nose in displeasure.

"No way! He could never appreciate something like this. I'd much rather go with you any day." she replied as she handed the invitations back to him and flashed him a flirtatious wink.

"Well then woman, get those materials capsulated, pay Riko, and let's get going." then prince said, gently pushing her away from him, trying to get her to walk back toward Riko's direction.

"Gosh, you've been pushy lately." Bulma told him, as she reached into the back pocket of her skirt and took out her capsules. "How about I start this," she said, holding them up, "and you can pay Riko?"

"Fine. I better not have a heart attack when I see the bill." he warned.

"We can afford it." Bulma smirked, seeing Vegeta roll his eyes. "By the way I'm horrendously underdressed." she said, glancing down at herself. "It's such a fancy affair, and I can't go looking like this. We're going to have to head back home so I can change…." she began to ramble distractedly.

"Tick tock, woman." the prince reminded her, affection hidden deep in his eyes as he pointed to an imaginary watch on his gloved wrist. "You're wasting time standing here."

"Oh, right." Bulma said, inwardly bursting with excitement as she hurried back to Riko to let him know what they were buying. Armed with her capsules, Bulma condensed tons of metals and materials into them, and Vegeta paid their hefty bill.

* * *

"Oh my!" Bunny yelped out, some of her popcorn falling from her bowl as it was jostled from her surprise as her daughter and Vegeta suddenly appeared in the living room in front of her. "You two scared the living daylights out of me!' she chuckled, picking up the popcorn from the carpet.

"Oops, sorry mom." Bulma apologized, as she removed herself from Vegeta's arm and went to go help her pick up the popcorn. "His Instant Transmission is going take me some getting used to also."

Both women looked over at the prince, who stood with a proud smirk on his face, before turning their attention back to each other. "What are you two doing back here?" Bunny couldn't help but ask in genuine confusion. Perhaps she was giving something away by her question, but according to the plan they were supposed to be off of Earth for the whole day and night. Thank goodness Yamcha had left approximately half an hour ago, after waiting for Bulma all day and well into the early night! He had been highly frustrated and utterly pissed off as the hours continued to pass by without an appearance by her. Bunny had warned him, though.

"Oh, we're not staying long. We had to come back and change." Bulma began, before Vegeta interrupted her.

"_You're_ changing. I'm going like this."

Bulma placed her hands on her hips, and gave him a scolding look. "No you're not! You've been in that outfit all day, you need to change out of it."

"If you think I'm wearing a damned tuxedo or suit, you can think again." he threatened.

"No, you don't have to wear human clothes, Vegeta. You _do_ have different sets of armor here, you know. I'm sure you have something that is appropriate and that doesn't scream 'blood and glory'." Bulma said.

"Woman, all my armor screams 'blood and glory.'"

"Then wear a tuxedo."

"I'd rather drop dead than to wear one of those."

"Oh for Kami's sake, just find _something…" _Bulma urged as she walked over to him and shoved him towards the stairs.

"God dammit…" Vegeta grumbled in complaint, "Fine. I better not hear you bitch about what I pick…" he told her as he went up the stairs and headed to his room to take a quick shower and change into a different set of armor. If he didn't, he knew that woman wouldn't shut up about it all night.

Satisfied, Bulma beamed brightly at her mom after Vegeta had disappeared around the corner.

"Well now, don't _you_ have a pleased look on your face? Have a good day today?" Bunny asked as casually as she could, sitting back down on the couch, her movie forgotten about as she wanted to hear how their day went.

"Yeah." she said rather happily. "It's been a good day so far. Not sure it was going to be at first, though. Vegeta's gravity room was completely destroyed…"

"Oh dear, that's not good." Bunny said, keeping her tone as neutral as possible.

"No, it's not, but it's okay. Things actually turned out to work for the better. I'm going to build him a new one! A bigger, better one. He's been long overdue." Bulma said, her excitement evident. "We've been out and about for the most of the day. We went to the bank to get the credits to buy everything he needed, and we ended up having a long lunch, too. We had to go to Xyneon to buy the materials for his new gravity room. We ended up staying there for a few hours."

"Wow sweetie, sounds like you've had a busy day." Bunny smiled up at her, secretly glad that their plan had worked and that they spent time together. Then again, it didn't seem like it was exactly the 'quality' time she was hoping for them. Call her crazy, but she was expecting that they would realize that they were in love and would go and elope in a wild, crazy moment of absolute insanity. "So then, where _are_ you two going, since you're getting dressed up?"

"Oh, Vegeta's got invitations for this amazing meteor shower happening on another planet! It's some sort of big, fancy event, that's why we had to come back and get ready. Well, _I_ had to come back…_he_ would have gone dressed as he was…." Bulma began, when Vegeta interrupted her.

"Get a move on, woman! I don't want to be waiting on you for half the night!" he shouted from his bedroom.

"Okay, okay, I'm going!" she shouted back, before turning her attention back to her mom. "By the way, did I miss anything important while I was gone?"

Well, there was the wedding dress fitting that she needed to have done today. And her fiancée that had been there almost all day waiting for her. "No, nothing really." Bunny covered up. Her daughter's mind was not on her wedding or on Yamcha, but instead on an evening out with Vegeta…and that was just fine with her.

"Oh okay…well I'm gonna hop in the shower real quick and get dressed. Vegeta will be pissed if we're any later than we're already going be." Bulma chirped as she flashed her mother a brilliant smile, turning to hurry up the stairs and into her room to get showered, changed, and primped.

Bunny smiled and reclined back into the couch, grabbing her popcorn and returning to her movie. It felt good when a plan fell into place. Now if only they could have an amazingly romantic night together and finally realize they were in love, then she could focus on having them give her beautiful grandbabies next.

* * *

"Well, don't you look very handsome." Bunny said with a knowing smile on her face as Vegeta walked down the stairs, dressed in a dark blue jumpsuit, wearing his white and golden chest plate, gold-tipped boots, his red cape draped over his forearm. He was adjusting his white gloves over his hands as he glanced around, frowning as he didn't see Bulma down there in the living room yet.

"I'm always handsome." Vegeta responded as he shook out his cape and brought it behind him, clasping one corner into place on his shoulders, and then the other.

"Here, let me help you with that, sweetheart." Bunny offered as she stood up from the couch and walked over to him, helping him undo some ruffles near the clasps and smooth out the cape. "Need to have you looking pristine for your romantic night out with my daughter."

He shot her a disconcerting look. "It's not a romantic night out." the prince assured, trying to inch away, feeling claustrophobic from all the mothering Bunny was giving him as she made sure he was looking his best.

"It could be." she stated simply, reaching up and smoothing a stray strand of hair on his head. "You never know."

"Tch, not likely." Vegeta responded tersely. "She can consider this event her wedding gift for all I damn well care."

Bunny crinkled her nose. "That's surprising. I didn't think you were supportive of her marrying Yamcha."

"I'm not." he responded gruffly.

"Have you told her that?" Bunny asked.

"I'm sure she knows." he replied, as a stern look crossed his face as he glanced at the clock. It was getting late, and he did not like the direction this conversation was going. "Woman, hurry up!" he barked.

"One more minute!" Bulma's voice rang out, earning an irritated sigh from the prince.

Bunny couldn't help but chuckle. "Don't we women drive you crazy?"

"Yes." Vegeta answered, and decided to take matters into his own hands by heading back up the stairs. What was the point of taking her to this event if she was going to end up missing it? He didn't bother knocking on her door as he barged in, an annoyed frown on his face. "Woman, what the hell is taking so long?"

Bulma gave a half-hearted sigh as he entered her room. "Being beautiful takes time, you know."

"Woman, you don't have enough time in the world." he baited, seeing her look absolutely beautiful.

She was wearing a gorgeous silk formal gown that was the color of midnight blue, making her pale skin color and light blue hair and eyes stand out. It had a v-shaped neckline, and a moderate v-shaped back. It had a beautiful wrap around her waist which gathered into an elaborate design that rested over her right hip. Her makeup was done to perfection, and her blue hair had been semi-curled and pinned up into a beautiful up-do, which she was finishing up.

"I swear, you're such a jerk sometimes." she tried not to smile at his attempt to rile her up as she placed her curling iron down and turned it off, swiftly grabbing a diamond-tipped bobby pin and expertly placing the last section of hair up. "Alright I'm just about ready.." she trailed off, putting on her diamond earrings and bracelets, as she finally looked up at him through the reflection of her mirror. She had expected him to change, but not into such a formal-looking set of armor. Kami, he was gorgeous. Probably too damn handsome for his own good. "You look good." she couldn't help but compliment, her eyes skimming over his physique.

"I know I do." he replied back with an arrogant smirk, walking further into her room toward her as his eyes quickly roamed over her dress and the exposed areas of her body as she stood up, watching her give herself one last look in the mirror. She was unexplainably beautiful to him. He had seen her dressed up plenty of times…so just what was so special about her tonight?

"See something you like?" Bulma asked, perking an eyebrow up in a teasing challenge, the way he had done to her earlier that morning. For a better effect, she did a slight twirl in front of him, so he could see the back of her dress. It was classy and tasteful, …and she was a tease, she knew, picking a dress that showed off just enough to catch someone's eye.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Vegeta cleverly replied back, his gaze meeting hers.

"Hmmm….actually I would like to know." Bulma replied in a soft tone, taking a step even closer to him, mirroring their exact banter from earlier that day. Her breath hitched in her throat for a moment as that same smoldering look returned in his eyes.

Or perhaps the look in his eyes simply reflected her very own.

"Hn. Maybe someday." was all Vegeta could manage to say as she neared even closer to him. In a brave move, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him an inviting look. It was his turn to have a feeling of apprehension hit him, since he was unsure about what Bulma was about to do.

"Well, tick tock, my prince. I'm waiting on you now. You don't want us to be late, do you?" she said softly, momentarily regaining control of her sudden and unexplainable urge to kiss him.

"How in hell did you turn this back around on me, woman?" Vegeta questioned softly as he forced himself to regain his senses. What the hell were they doing?! What was she doing to him?! She gave him a sultry smile, and somehow he pushed down the impulsive urge to kiss her. He couldn't explain his behavior as he possessively put an arm around her waist and brought her close…a move, he noticed, that she did not protest against at all. Vegeta was about to raise his fingertips to his forehead and teleport them to Demesor, when Bunny's voice suddenly cut in.

"Have a good night, you two." she said in a sickeningly sweet tone as Vegeta and Bulma turned their heads at the sound of her voice, the both of them looking like they had been caught-off guard….or at least looking like they were guilty of something. Hadn't they noticed that she had been standing at the door for the past few moments? She watched them both blush slightly from embarrassment.

"Night." they quickly said, as Vegeta quickly placed his fingertips to his forehead and they suddenly vanished into thin air.

The grin remained on Bunny's face as she turned and began to head the opposite direction down the long hallway, making her way to her own bedroom. She was feeling giddy and quite pleased. They were very much in love with each other. She knew it! And if luck would have it, they would give her a grandchild soon.

* * *

_Her daddy couldn't repair her favorite toy that got broken. The pieces were too small and damaged. And if her dad couldn't fix it, then no one else in the world could._

_Bulma sat outside under a tree, her knees hugged up to her chest, her arms crossed over the tops of her knees. Her toy was special….it was the first one she had ever built completely by herself. With the push of a button, it could turn into three different shapes…a unicorn, a dragon, and a dinosaur. She had built it when she was 4...how was she going to remember how to rebuild it from scratch, when that was a few years ago?_

_Small steps approached her, and she turned her body away, not wanting to talk to him. "Go away." she told him, holding back another sniffle._

"_I told you, I hate it when you cry." the young prince told the blue-haired girl. "Saiyan girls don't cry."_

"_I already told you, I'm not Saiyan." a young Bulma responded in a hurt tone._

_The young prince sighed. "I know." He paused for a moment, before kneeling down beside her. "This isn't your toy, but this should stop your crying."_

_Bulma sniffled a bit as she looked at him, and saw the device he held out in her hand to her. "What is it?"_

"_It shows you different planets and constellations. These buttons show you the planets' names and where they are located. This one here gives you basic information on it, and this one shows you the stars and their locations also."_

"_That's neat." Bulma said, quickly forgetting her sadness as she took the small square device from him. "Thanks Vegeta." she said, smiling up at him as she reached over and gave his arm a hug._

"_Don't get used to it." he replied in a grumble, letting her hug his arm for a moment before pulling it away. "Your mom says dinner is ready." he said, standing up, holding out his hand to help her up._

"_Good, I'm hungry." Bulma said, taking his hand and letting him help her up. "Are you hungry?"_

"_I'm almost always hungry." the young prince responded, earning a giggle from the girl._

"_Yeah, you are." she agreed._

"_I'm not sure about those two." Dr. Brief commented as he continued to watch his young daughter and the young alien prince outside in the backyard._

"_Oh, aren't they just adorable together!" Bunny gushed, placing plates of food down on the table. "Maybe if we're lucky, they'll grow up and fall in love."_

"_You wouldn't mind having an alien prince as a son-in-law?" Dr. Brief asked his wife._

"_Of course not! Would you?"_

_He thought it over for a moment. "No, I suppose not. As long as he treated her well." he rationalized._

"_Sure he will. Vegeta is a strong, smart boy, and he'll grow up to be an outstanding man. They get along so well already." Bunny said endearingly._

"_For the most part." Dr. Brief began. "Lately they have been bickering a lot."_

"_I'm sure it's just a phase." Bunny reassured._

"_I'm sure you're right, dear. After all, they seem to get over their fights rather quickly, and they are right back to playing with each other and being quite the chatter boxes._

_Bunny walked over to the window, and watched their daughter and the young prince together. "He's a sweet boy, even though he can be temperamental at times. Look, he even gave Bulma one of his own possessions, just to make her happy again."_

"_True." Dr. Brief paused. "Look at them, dear. Just look at them. Neither one of them are even 10 years old yet, and already that boy would do anything for her."_

"_That's not such a bad thing, is it?" Bunny reasoned._

"_I'm not sure yet." Dr. Brief answered honestly. "I might start to worry when she starts to do anything for him also." _

"_I think that's called love, sweetheart." Bunny said, placing an affectionate peck on his cheek. "Now call them inside, their food is getting cold."_

* * *

I think I've fallen in love with my story all over again. You have no idea how much I loved writing this chapter! And it was a long one too…I didn't realize how long it was until I saw the word count.

I hit over 200 reviews awhile ago, so thank you to each and every one of you who leave reviews and continue to give me a reason to write! I hope you liked this chapter! I'd appreciate if you took a moment to let me know what you thought about it!

Chapter 14 is currently a work in progress. Just to let you know, you're probably going to love it. Who knows what is going to happen. After all, the chase may finally lead up to the catch.


	14. Across That Line

To all my readers: I'll keep this short and sweet.

You all are amazing, and I love ya. Thank you for your patience.

To date, this is the longest chapter of my story, and my new favorite one.

This chapter was a labor of love. You are going to enjoy what happens (maybe).

Trust me, it was worth the wait.

* * *

**Chapter 14- Across That Line**

The Prince of Saiyans and his gorgeous escort arrived in style.

In style, of course, meaning their abrupt and unexpected appearance out of thin air had startled the majority of the guests there. Upon seeing them, nearby partygoers let out a small gasp and took a step back, the drinks in their hands sloshing from their sudden movement. However, their surprise could not be blamed…after all, it wasn't every day that one of the notoriously powerful, highly respected, and agreeably feared people throughout the universe suddenly manifested out of nothingness, coupled with a stunning female in tow.

Bulma had to steady herself as a moment of fleeting dizziness hit her. She inwardly thought to herself that she was nowhere near getting used to his Instant Transmission ability. As the dizziness subsided, she blinked a few times and looked around, noticing the startled faces that currently surrounded them.

Startled faces that quickly turned serious.

"Well, well. We're not as late as I thought you were going to make us." Vegeta said in a cooled tone, promptly removing his arm from around Bulma as he hastily changed the subject. "Unlike Earth, there is no such thing out here as being fashionably late." he referenced the familiar human saying as he took a moment to look around and survey the area. The awkwardness that fell between them from their somewhat intimate moment together inside her room a few moments ago was still fresh in his mind, and he wanted to get rid of those feelings as quickly as possible by distracting himself with a different focus.

He did not have his scouter on him, and in hindsight, perhaps that was something he _should_ have brought along, if only for show. But, why would he want to? Having his scouter on meant he would have been harassed all day and night by his parents or his bodyguards, demanding that he answer their com-link, and refusing to end their constant transmissions to him until they stubbornly got a reply from their rebellious son. Besides, he did not _need_ a scouter. Since very early on, during his first year's stay on Earth as a young child, he had been trained to sense ki, and inadvertently trained to strategically feel out the power levels of everyone around him, and gauge to see if there was any immediate threat around. It was an amazing ability, and one that he, along with Goku, managed to teach the current and younger generations of Saiyans to learn. It was a tightly guarded secret that the majority of Saiyans had learned over time to sense power levels without need of their scouters, which by and far gave them a great advantage when dealing with each other and with other races. So Vegeta, not having his scouter on, could possibly raise some unwanted questions.

But, sensing no threat around them in those few short seconds Vegeta took to analyze the situation, he let himself feel a small sense of ease, even though a part of him would always be on the edge and ready for battle. Luckily for him, those nearby who had seen his abrupt arrival had greeted him with deep, respectful bows, and now he stood strong and proud as he accepted their gestures. His regal aura reverberated throughout the crowd as murmurs were quickly passing along that Prince Vegeta was there.

At hearing him give her a smart remark about them being late already to this event, Bulma responded back to Vegeta with a slight roll of her eyes as she looked down at her dress. "Whatever. You wouldn't know 'fashionable' if it bit you in the ass." she replied, glad for the short, snippy exchange between them. She also welcomed a distraction from the awkwardness that remained between them. She self-consciously smoothed out imaginary wrinkles and lines on her formal dress, hoping her cheeks weren't still red from their strangely close moment together.

Someone suddenly and loudly announced the arrival of Prince Vegeta, royal heir to the Saiyan Empire, and his escort.

It was the quiet hush of the crowd that had caught Bulma's attention, as she then looked up and noticed the rest of the alien guests bowing down to Vegeta. Something struck her, and she wasn't sure what it was, but seeing them all bow down to him brought a strange sense of confusion to her. Normally she would not have thought anything about all those people bowing down before him…..after all, everyone on Vegetasei, including foreign dignitaries, always bowed down to him. She never really thought anything of it, continuing on with whatever business she had with him. As hard as it was to believe, and after all their years of being around each other….at times she really _did_ forget that Vegeta was, in the complete sense of the word, a prince. No, perhaps 'forget' was not the correct word. Many times, she just didn't see him in that way.

He was just….Vegeta…to her.

Even though it had been engraved in her mind ever since she could remember that Vegeta was a prince, they had spent close to their entire lives growing up together and being around each other. The majority of the time she did not see him as a prince, or as an alien, or as a warrior, or as a killer. He just…_was_ who he _was_…and he made no apologies for it, either. Maybe _that _was what had stuck her at that moment. She had always embraced everything that he was, and who he was, and thought nothing more or less of it. And it was in that moment she realized that, in all their years of knowing each other, she never saw him in a different light. What did that mean?

Was that normal?

Bulma didn't have time to further contemplate this, as she then realized the party guests were looking at _her_ also, not just at Vegeta.

The genuine look of surprise that crossed her face was hard to hide as they were bowing down to her also, showing her some sort of due respect that she did not believe she warranted. It was an odd feeling to have aliens, the majority of which she had never met before, bow down to her as if she was someone important also. Bulma managed a small, difficult swallow, feeling as though she mistakenly was put on the spot. She glanced over at Vegeta by her side, expecting to see an annoyed look on his face….but the feelings she expected to read from him, in fact, were nowhere to be found. Instead, he looked back at her and gave her a small, encouraging nod of his head, and with all eyes on them she followed Vegeta's lead and stood confident as they gave a brief nod of acknowledgement to the crowd.

At seeing the Saiyan Prince and his esteemed guest receive their welcome, the partygoers began to relax again, quickly resuming their chatter and their pleasantries amongst themselves. Bulma lightly bit her lower lip, watching as the crowd visibly relaxed and diverted their attention away from them and returning to what they were doing previously. Vegeta sure had an effect on people, _that_ she could bank on. She whistled low after a few quiet moments between them, feeling she could breathe comfortably again. "What was _that_ all about?" she asked him in a soft tone, quickly glancing over the crowd once more, not yet aware of the beauty of the planet on which they were on.

"You're with _me_, woman." Vegeta offered simply, not wanting to delve into greater detail of the importance on the matter. "How often do you think I attend events such as these?"

Bulma eyed him for a moment. "Knowing _you_? Never." she replied honesty. "Not unless I somehow miraculously drag you to one. And you usually fight me tooth and nail about going to something like this! It's hard enough getting you to go with me to the Capsule Corp galas."

"Exactly. Consider this night a grand privilege."

"Privilege?" Bulma echoed in disbelief, giving Vegeta a sarcastic look.

"Yes. Any woman would kill to be in your spot right now. After all, not every woman can have a date with the Prince of All Saiyans." he smirked as he watched her give him one of 'those' looks.

"Oh please, Vegeta, you're so full of it." Bulma rolled her eyes again, used to his arrogance after so many years. "Any man would love to be in your spot too, you know!"

"Well, of course they would, woman. What man wouldn't want to be _me_?" he cleverly responded back, catching Bulma in her words and twisting them around.

"Ugh!" she responded in a huff. "You _know_ what I meant! Any man would love to be here with _me_." she emphasized, annoyed that he had caught her in a rare verbal slip-up.

"Keep telling yourself that." Vegeta responded smugly as he extended his elbow out to her, offering his arm for her to take.

She watched him as he extended his arm out to her. "Jerk." she countered as she eyed him suspiciously for a moment before she hooked her arm around his, accepting his invitation as he then began to guide her somewhere. "Wait a minute! Did you say 'date'?" she blurted as the thought suddenly struck her, just now catching on to the last part of his previous sentence from a few moments ago.

"Hn. That's what your mother seems to think." Vegeta commented, his mild amusement slowly giving way into a frown as they began to near an empty area off to the side where guests were to check into the meteor event upon arrival. At least there wasn't a line to wait in. Not that he and Bulma would have had to wait in line anyway, but still, it reminded him they were later to this event than he had previously thought. As they neared the check-in area, his frown deepened more.

"Yeah, well my mom thinks a lot of things….it doesn't mean she's right." Bulma murmured in a somewhat tense tone, knowing there was a lot more weight held behind her words than Vegeta would ever know. "Like you and I would _ever_ go on a date."

Vegeta's frown deepened, not so much at Bulma's words, but more at something else. "It's not a date." Vegeta assured her, and for some reason his response irritated her.

"Oh trust me, I know it's not." she replied just as assuredly back at him, which at hearing this, he turned to look at her with a rather pissed off look etched on his face. He fisted his hands and grew visibly angry about something, and it didn't help that for some reason her words bothered him more than they probably should have.

"Good, we're in agreement then." Vegeta said tersely, half his attention on her and the rest on something else, wanting to end the topic of conversation abruptly.

"Yes, we are." Bulma said moodily, wanting the last word on the matter. Whether she would get it or not remained to be seen, as she wondered what the hell suddenly got into the both of them. "It's amazing that we _finally_ agree on something! It's a miracle. It only took us about almost 30 years!" she spat out sarcastically.

Vegeta let out an aggravated sigh. "Human brat."

"Saiyan jerk." she automatically replied.

"Remind me again why I brought you here?" the prince grumbled out, bringing his other hand up to his face and pinching the bridge of his nose. He was trying to reign in his temper at the moment.

"I don't know! So we could do something _fun_ together?" Bulma bit out.

"So far, this isn't fun."

"Well, with that attitude, it won't be!" she snapped, highly irritated that their night out together was starting off badly already. And the night was only beginning! Vegeta felt her try to tug her arm away from his. He gave her a stern look as her effort made them stop in the middle of their tracks. He turned to Bulma as she somehow managed to pull her arm away from his. "Maybe we should just go home." she grumbled.

"Fine by me." Vegeta replied in an uncaring tone, crossing his arms across his chest, and tightening his tail even further around his waist.

Bulma let out an agitated sigh as she placed her hands on her hips. "But we just got here! Seriously, Vegeta, you're not going to be like this all night, are you?"

"Like what?" he said, looking around the area, not really paying full attention to what Bulma was complaining to him about.

"What the hell's gotten into you?" Bulma ground out, frustrated with how he was seemingly distracted, which was a rare occurrence when it came to an argument with her. "If you don't want to be here then why did we come?" she demanded.

The prince let out an annoyed huff. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about." he growled out. "Can we just check in and get going with the rest of the evening?" he said irritably, his tone of voice conveying the exact opposite of his words.

"Ugh, fine! Be that way!" Bulma spat out, feeling herself starting to sink into a bad mood at his sudden attitude change. She sarcastically gestured her arm out in front of her, bending slightly at her waist in a mocking bow as she motioned for Vegeta to continue forward to where they were previously headed.

Vegeta fisted his hands as he lowered his arms, making sure to point a finger at Bulma in warning as she was really beginning to push his buttons. "I swear, woman…." he growled in a harsh tone as he swiftly turned away from her, heading to his initial destination, not caring for the moment if she was following right behind him or not.

Bulma didn't appreciate his small threat. "Kami, you're in a bad mood." she continued to complain right behind him in a hushed tone.

"_You're_ the one who's in a bad mood." Vegeta spat back at her, not knowing if she had meant for him to hear her or not.

"I am not!" she defied, trying to convince herself that she wasn't going to let his foul mood ruin her night.

"Well, neither am I!" the prince barked. Okay. That wasn't true. He was definitely in a bad mood now.

For more than one reason.

"Well it sure as hell seems like you are!" Bulma barked right back at him. She just couldn't leave well enough alone.

Vegeta growled, and without warning, he stopped in his tracks again and turned around to face her, startling her and bringing her to an abrupt halt as she almost walked right smack into him. "Woman, I swear, if you keep this up, _I will be_." he warned her seriously this time. Apparently she didn't like hearing that, because shortly after having told her this, she placed her hands on his chest and gave him a rough shove, which barely made him budge. He then watched as Bulma clenched her small fists in frustration and throw him a dirty glare. He saw the same unyielding, pissed-off look being reflected right back at him as she spun around and stormed off away from him, effectively giving him the cold shoulder.

The prince sneered angrily, deciding it would be best to ignore her for the time being as he watched Bulma walk away from him. It was bad enough that he had taken his frustrations out on her. Him keeping his mouth shut and not following after her was going to be the wisest move he figured he could make at the moment. A few more wrong, heated words to each other, and well…..the night was going to end on a completely different note than either of them truly wanted.

* * *

Vegeta took in a deep breath and let out an aggravated sigh as he continued on, approaching the front of a podium. He began to seriously contemplate cancelling their night out. He was too damn tired to deal with the bullshit that was going on. Nevertheless, he reached behind the top of his chest plate and pulled out the two gold-inlaid passes for the event and handed them to the alien, who hurriedly accepted them.

As Vegeta waited for the alien, he subtly kept one eye on Bulma, wondering if their night was going to end well at all. The top part of his tail flicked against his hip as he patiently waited, until the source of his frustration suddenly manifested next to him.

Vegeta had sensed his ki signal nearby minutes ago, and it had been too close for his comfort. It couldn't have been worse timing. That was initially what had set him off in a bad mood. After feeling his energy, he had known the fool would be showing there up at any moment.

"You're starting to piss me off, Kakarot." Vegeta warned, sensing Goku appear and stand right behind him.

"What am I supposed to do? Say 'no' and refuse the order to find you?" Goku said apologetically as he lowered his two fingers from his forehead and quickly took a look at his surroundings, realizing that he had inadvertently crashed some sort of fancy get-together.

"Will you just get the fuck out of here." the prince said angrily, shooting Goku a dark glare as he turned around to face him.

Goku sighed and held his arms out in frustration. "And what do I tell them? That I couldn't locate your ki and find you? They'll never believe it."

"I don't care if they fucking believe you or not! It took you until _now_ to find me after leaving Capital World. It's not _unreasonable_ to believe that after all your hours searching that you couldn't find me." Vegeta growled, as he then turned back to the alien whom he had given the passes to. Quickly, the alien handed the Saiyan prince two beautiful, golden strips of silken fabric that were trimmed with red designs.

"So you want me to lie to everyone? Is that it?" Goku said in disbelief.

"Yes." Vegeta said sternly. His demand was absolute, with no room for negotiation as he accepted the golden bands, and turned to Goku again. "I expect you to obey my order, because I expect nothing less from you."

"This is pretty unfair of you to ask this of me, you know." Goku sighed. He hated lying, and rarely ever did it. It was bad enough that he had lied to Bulma about Yamcha's whereabouts earlier this morning, but now this? "I'm not a good liar. Everyone will see right though me, you know that." He watched as the prince fisted his hands and uncurled his tail, watching as it snapped a few times in agitation. The way Vegeta's demeanor suddenly darkened made him gulp a bit.

"For your sake, Kakarot, you _better_ be convincing." Vegeta began, as then a sudden movement from the corner of his eye made him turn to the alien behind the podium, who upon seeing Goku, was about to open his mouth and tell him he could not attend this event dressed so informally. Vegeta held up his gloved hand with authoritative command, immediately stopping the alien from opening his mouth. The alien took the hint and didn't say a word, knowing this was a matter that he would be wise to not interfere in. Vegeta took a quick look around, and roughly pulled Goku aside to talk to him in private. "Look, I am _not_ going back home tonight, and there is _nothing_ you, or my parents, or Nappa, or Raditz, or anyone else can do about it. Understood?"

Goku frustratingly ran one hand through his wild, messy dark hair. "I understand, but you need to know the order to find you has been given and the whole palace is on high alert. The Royal guards…even the Elites are on the lookout for your arrival! They are ready to pounce on you when you get back, and bring to straight to your parents, whether you like it or not." Goku told him. "And your parents….they're _outraged_. Seriously, it's been a long time since I've seen them this angry! Your father is saying it's outright treason. And your mom….oh man, she said she's going to cut off your tail!" he said the last part worriedly. "Vegeta, enough is enough. _What are you doing?_ You _have_ to come home now. You can't keep doing this!"

Vegeta responded by seizing Goku by the front of his gi, twisting the fabric into his fist, bringing the younger Saiyan face to face in a threatening manner. His eyes grew deadly, flickering with rage as he bared his canines at Goku. "Let me make this _perfectly_ clear to you, Kakarot." he growled dangerously, "I do as I wish, and no one…._**NO ONE**_… tells me otherwise. _Not_ my parents. _Not_ Tarble. _Not_ your father, _or_ your brother. _Not_ Nappa. And especially _not_ you."

Goku couldn't help but notice that he left out Bulma's name from his list, but that was something he was not dumb enough to bring up at the current moment either. "Okay, okay Vegeta. Calm down….I didn't mean to piss you off. I wasn't trying to tell you what to do, you know that!" Goku tried to offer peacefully, as he held his hands up in a submissive manner. "Could you let go of me now? You're beginning to make a scene."

"Like I give a shit." Vegeta responded. "Now, go back home and leave me the hell alone." he ordered, giving Goku a rough shove in the process as he let go of the iron grip he held on his gi. "Tell them you couldn't find me."

Goku eyed him for a moment, trying to think of how he was going to reason with Vegeta again as he readjusted the front of his gi, smoothing out the fabric. This time he decided to take a softer approach. Whether it would work or not remained to be seen. "I can't say that." he said somewhat apologetically, quickly continuing his plea as the prince shot him another deadly warning glare. "C'mon, Vegeta, you have to give me _something _here. If I don't show up back home with you… then they said they're gonna cut _**my**_ tail off! I don't want to lose my tail! I'm pretty attached to it!"

Vegeta eyed him for a moment, seeing there was genuine truth to what he was telling him. He knew it would fall on Kakarot to be the one responsible to find him and bring him back home. He imagined there would be consequences if he came back this time empty-handed again. He knew he was pushing his parents' buttons lately, but this must really have been the final time. "They won't cut off your tail, moron."

"Yes they will!" Goku insisted.

"No, they won't."

"How can you be so sure?!" Goku asked, concern in his voice as he tightened his own tail around his waist securely, the thought of losing it becoming a real possibility.

"If they _do_ actually cut your tail off, then your father and the woman will find a way to reattach it, I'm sure. Or at least figure out a way to re-grow it." Vegeta grumbled, offering no consolation to Goku at all. He saw the worry on Goku's face, and the prince let out an irritable growl, as he thought about his next words carefully. Kakarot shouldn't have to lose his tail over him, he inwardly thought, but no way in hell was he going to go back home tonight. Not when he already was this deep in trouble. Besides, he was supposed to be having an evening out with the woman. So, what could he say that was acceptable enough that would make his parents calm down over him? After a few tense moments, Vegeta relented, knowing he would have to try to compromise. "Tell them I…" he hesitated, clenching his hands, unsure about the next words he was about to say, "…tell them I'm with the woman."

Goku then followed Vegeta's gaze out into the crowd, and that's when he saw Bulma standing off to the side, alone, looking up into the sky. Confusion crossed Goku for a moment. He didn't understand...he already knew this. The King and Queen and others already figured out he had gone off-planet with Bulma. So what was the significance of mentioning something that was already known? "Vegeta…they already know you went somewhere with her." he said, confusion laced in his voice.

Vegeta unclenched his fists and gave a frustrated sigh. "I figured as much. But they don't know _why_."

"Why?" Goku echoed, wanting to know just what was going through Vegeta's mind. It wasn't too hard to figure out though, Goku thought inwardly to himself, as he had seen how nicely everyone was dressed, and how beautiful the place was.

"It doesn't matter why!"

Goku gestured out towards the general direction that Bulma was in. "Look, I'm pretty sure I know what's going on here. And I'm sure you want to get back to whatever you two were doing before I got here. I'm sorry for interrupting your guys' night, but I'm under some pretty bad pressure to find you and bring you home," he reasoned, "and since that won't be happening, I'm forced to resort to the next option. So like I said, what do you want me to say to your parents? Want me to tell them that you're here on a date with her?" he dared to tease.

The evil glare that Vegeta gave him spoke volumes. If looks could kill, Goku would have been dead three times over. "It's not a fucking date!"

Goku rolled his eyes slightly. "Fine, fine, it's not a date. Well, then?" he urged.

Vegeta let out a huff of annoyance. "Tell them I'm spending time with her, and leave it at that. Is that understood?" he demanded with authority, and watched as Goku took a moment to contemplate, before nodding his head in reluctant agreement.

"Understood." the younger Saiyan relented, his face frowning in displeasure over the situation. "And you just keep digging a bigger hole for yourself." Goku murmured, unsure if he was directing his comment at Vegeta, or referring to himself. Or maybe he meant it towards both of them.

"You're really trying my patience, Kakarot." the prince warned, giving Goku one last warning look as he began to turn away from him and start heading his way toward Bulma. "You better not fail me."

"I hope my father and Bulma can re-grow my tail." Goku replied off-handedly, mentally rehearsing a way he would tell the King and Queen what he was supposed to say, and yet keep their wrath away from his tail somehow.

"They won't cut it off." Vegeta had begun to say as he walked off, only to quickly turn around again towards Goku as he remembered something very important. "Oh, and Kakarot….if they don't cut off your tail, then I will." he promised.

"What?!" Goku questioned in an alarmed tone. "Why?!"

"Oh? Don't tell me you've already forgotten? You didn't think you could _really_ get away with it, did you?" Vegeta said in a cooled, even tone. "I know you destroyed my gravity room."

Oh shit.

"I…." Goku began, caught off guard as Vegeta's serious tone of voice sent a small chill down his spine. He snapped his mouth shut and gulped, not knowing what to say. Should he deny it? Should he try to explain himself? He didn't think Vegeta would be very understanding or appreciative of the grand master plan that he and his father and Bunny had devised to make him and Bulma spend time together.

Vegeta held a gloved hand up to him, demanding his silence. "I don't want to get into it right now, Kakarot. I don't feel like spilling your blood all over my armor at the moment. I will discuss this with you another day. _Both the woman and I will discuss this with you another day._" Vegeta emphasized with a painful promise, bringing a wave of dread upon Goku. Boy, was he in trouble. In trouble with the King and Queen, in trouble with Vegeta and Bulma, and not to mention he was sure Yamcha was pretty pissed at him also.

How in hell did he manage to get himself involved right in the middle of all this?!

"Right." Goku managed to reply despondently, accepting whatever his future punishment might be. He fisted his right hand and brought it over his heart, pounding his chest twice as he gave a hasty bow to Vegeta. He hurriedly placed his fingers to his forehead, and concentrated on King Vegeta's ki, vanishing from the area as abruptly as he had first appeared.

* * *

Bulma had stormed away from Vegeta, highly irritated and angry at how much of a jerk he was suddenly being. She didn't know what the hell had gotten into him, and as she gained some distance from him, she began to wonder if he was going to get utterly pissed and just call the night off. Well, it would be fine by her! She didn't want to be there if he was going to keep being that way! After finding a secluded spot where no one was really close nearby, Bulma stopped and crossed her arms across her torso forcefully, officially in a bad mood. She glared at the festive partygoers from a ways away, feeling resentful that everyone was having a good time except for them.

At first she thought Vegeta would storm after her also, and that an argument between them would ensue. But when she had glanced back over her shoulder, she had seen that he also had his back to her, walking away. That angered her more, and even now after a few minutes passed, he still hadn't come to find her. As a couple of more minutes passed, Bulma began to calm down as the adrenaline rush began to subside. She finally took the time to look around, and not just at the event, but at one of the most beautiful planets she had ever been to.

Demesor was a lush, gorgeous, exotic tropical planet. The terrain was landscaped with brilliant, colorful flora, and peaceful, gentle wildlife that happy roamed and grazed amongst this most rare gem in the outer cosmos. The oceans on Demesor were a beautiful purplish blue color, and the skies were almost always purplish as well. The rains that occurred were nothing more but light showers and mists, and the breezes were gentle and warm. The purple sky was dotted with many stars that shone bright and sparkling. It was a sky that never turned to the blackness of dark night, thanks to its unique atmosphere and to the very small sun that revolved around it.

Bulma continued looking upward, entranced by the glowing auroras that twirled and gently lit up the sky. Her eyes danced along as she watched the multi-colored light display weave its way through the atmosphere. She wondered when the meteor shower would begin, and what it would possibly look like as the falling rocks blazed against this beautiful purple night sky. Nights such as this one were absolute perfection. No wonder this fancy event was being held here.

The beauty and serenity of the planet did much to quell her temper and emotions, as she temporarily forgot about her gripe with Vegeta. She took the time to appreciate what her eyes were beholding…it was probably as close to heaven as she could imagine. They say you don't miss what you never knew…but how could she have _missed_ this? Well, it was simple, really. If her and Vegeta hadn't gone out to lunch and seen the advertisement, then she would have missed out. Even so, just knowing about the meteor shower didn't mean anything. It was Vegeta who got them into this event at the last minute. If it wasn't for him, then she wouldn't be here on this beautiful planet, seeing the celestial show of a lifetime. She sighed inwardly, feeling like such an ungrateful woman. She took in a calming breath and breathed it out gently, willing her temper aside to try to make way for peace.

"It's beautiful." Bulma said softly, having heard his footsteps as they stopped behind her.

"That it is." Vegeta said to her, his voice remaining neutral.

An awkward silence fell between them for a few moments, before Bulma spoke up again. "Thank you…for bringing me here."

"Hn." Vegeta responded, as he decided that they seemed to be on okay terms again. After walking away from Kakarot, he had still been in a tense mood. He was making his way back to Bulma, and as he did, he studied her for a few long moments as he watched her captivation and enchantment by the auroras in the sky. Demesor was said to be one of the most beautiful planets in the universe that held a magical quality to it. He was skeptical of that last part, but had to wonder if there was some truth behind the claims, as somehow the beauty of the night sky had mostly calmed her down her frazzled ki. And for whatever reason, seeing Bulma look so beautiful against the celestial backdrop, and sensing her energy signal much more relaxed had done much to calm his temperment down as well.

Vegeta took a step closer to her and reached out, gently grabbing her by her upper arm and coaxing her to turn around and face him, even as she put up minor resistance. With reluctance, she complied with his non-verbal request, letting him turn her around to face him. His dark eyes searched her face as she tried not to look him in the eye, knowing she was still unhappy with him. Without saying anything to her, he slid his hand down her arm until he reached her hand. Bulma continued to look off to the side, trying to ignore what he was doing, even as small tingles ran though her from his gentle and almost apologetic touch. He held her hand for a moment as he draped one of the red-trimmed golden bands over her wrist, which caught her attention.

"What's this?" she asked, watching as Vegeta proceeded to wrap and tie the beautiful band around her wrist.

"It marks us as V.I.P." he offered simply, securing a knot, as he then let her arm go. He then raised his own arm out slightly, draping his band around the upper part of his bicep. He began to try to tie it, but his single-handed effort didn't last long as Bulma reached up, helpfully placing it around his arm for him.

"So this means we're staying?" she asked, a hint of happiness in her voice as she preoccupied herself with tying the band around his arm, still avoiding a direct gaze into his eyes.

"Yes." he told her softly as he watched as she finished tying his band. He kept searching her face, trying to get a read on what she was thinking or feeling.

She nodded, glad to hear they were going to stay after all. She kept her hands on his arm, mindlessly adjusting the band even though there was nothing wrong with it. "Are you going to tell me what's the matter with you now?" she asked quietly.

Vegeta let out a half-hearted sigh as he looked off to the side, taking a moment to contemplate before answering her. "I felt Kakarot's energy signal nearby."

Hearing this made Bulma finally glance up and look at him. "He's _still_ looking for you?" the concern clearly evident in her voice.

"It doesn't matter now, he's gone." the prince said, turning his gaze back onto her, seeing a look of worry across her beautiful face.

She searched Vegeta's dark eyes, trying to figure out what was going on. "He was here? Was he still trying to get you home?" she asked, waiting for an answer from him, and didn't receive one. She bit her lip and stepped closer to him, squeezing his arm in worry. "Maybe something bad's happened?"

He shook his head. "Nothing bad has happened, woman."

"Vegeta, what's going on?" she asked in earnest, seeing that he was hiding something, but she just wasn't sure what it was.

"I already told you, it's nothing." he reassured her. "Just my parents trying to enforce some imaginary curfew they think I need. I told him to go home and leave me alone." Bulma studied him for a moment, searching for anything that might prove otherwise. This time though, he was closely guarded, and wouldn't let her delve any deeper into the matter.

After a few moments, she relented, and let out a breath of reluctant acceptance. "Alright." Bulma said quietly, as she let go of his arm and gave him a look. "But if Goku comes looking for you for a third time again, then we're going home, understood?"

He raised an eyebrow up at her. "You aren't in a position to give me orders." the prince warned lightly.

"Not yet, I'm not." she dared to say, giving him a smug look.

"Tch. That will be the day." Vegeta said bluntly, earning a playful smack on his arm from her, to which he gave her an amused look.

A ghost of a smile was on her face also. "So...are we going to stand here all night, or are we going to go have fun?" Bulma asked, trying to keep things light between them as she looked down and mindlessly toyed with the beautiful band around her wrist, wondering exactly how this signified them as being V.I.P.

"I have a choice in the matter?" Vegeta scoffed, watching as she looked back up at him, trying to read if he was joking or being serious.

After a moment, she decided he was being somewhat playful. "No, not really." Bulma smiled a little more comfortably at him, seeing that things were going to be okay between them after all. Pleased that they would be staying there for the meteor shower and for the rest of the festivities, she raised her elbow outward, offering Vegeta her arm to take, as he had done earlier with her.

Vegeta eyed her for a moment, raising an eyebrow again at her antics. He saw her expectant look and he sighed, giving her a slight roll of his eyes as he took her arm in his.

Delighted, she gave his arm an affectionate squeeze before hauling him off toward the party-going crowd.

* * *

The outdoor staging on Demesor was beautifully set up, with plenty of seating all around for the esteemed guests that were there. Amongst the seating were many small bonfires, which gave the event a beautiful, bright, warm romantic glow to it. The other lighting was provided by the energetic, colorful auroras that continued to swirl in the dusky, purple night sky. The seating had been strategically placed around a very large, open area floor, which many guests were slowly dancing on to the soft music of what could be considered an orchestra, by Earth's standards. The alien orchestra played instruments that were quite different looking than those on Earth, but they emitted beautiful sounds nonetheless.

Vegeta and Bulma joined the crowd, and immediately the excited hubbub over them being at the event was evident. She quickly realized how V.I.P. her and Vegeta were, since quickly after joining the party, small alien creatures came to their immediate service. These aliens were tiny and reminded her of Puar. These creatures resembled a feline, and could fly, but instead of having fur they had smooth, charcoal-colored skin, and no tail. They were friendly though, and because of the golden and red-trimmed bands held around her wrist and Vegeta's arm, the feline-resembling aliens brought them any and everything they wanted at a moment's notice. Whatever they wanted, they got. Bulma and Vegeta never had to leave who they were speaking with to get food, or another drink. They were waited on hand and foot, all with the simple raise of her wrist, or the raise of his arm.

The night had continued on quite well, to both of their surprise. Many of the aliens who were attending this event were loyal to the Saiyan Empire, and a few had very close rapport with the royal family and with Bulma. They made genuine efforts to put in some quality time with them, since it was a rare occurrence to have the Saiyan prince and the blue-haired genius beauty so readily available. Many of the aliens that Vegeta and Bulma were familiar with they had not seen in a long time, so it was almost like a reunion in some sort of way. The prince and the heiress remained closely together at first, enjoying the food and drink as they got into conversations with their allies. As the night continued on, they spoke of glorious battle stories from the past, got updates on the health and state of the economies of their respective planets, and they overall had a good time rekindling and reaffirming ties with each other and within the Saiyan Empire.

Other aliens that were not as close to the Saiyan Empire took this opportunity to try to speak with Vegeta and Bulma, making efforts throughout the night to try to begin conversations with them, that mostly led into business talk and proposed ideas for how they could better align themselves with the Saiyans. Over the night, both Vegeta and Bulma were slowly being guided away from each other. Vegeta was tied up with talk of business and issues going on within his Empire that he needed to know of, and Bulma was stuck talking with other aliens over upcoming technology the Saiyans were working on, as well as interplanetary trade. Still, talking about business did not put as much of a damper on the night as she expected, as Bulma would now and then look over to where Vegeta was, seeing him surrounded by a small group of aliens who were keeping him occupied with their conversations. Now separated, often they would glance over at the other, keeping a subtle eye on each other. Many times their eyes would lock, and it was in those times that Bulma would quickly flash Vegeta a smile, to which he would give her an amused smirk. So the night continued on, as the food and drink and conversations began to get more relaxed. Some partygoers took to the seats, gathering around the bonfires and they conversed and laughed. Some took to the open floor to dance and enjoy the beauty of the night. Bulma had been conversing with a group of female aliens, talking about the men in their lives, to which she had stayed silent on the subject. She didn't feel like talking about Yamcha.

Or Vegeta, for that matter.

Bulma had looked up into the sky, watching the auroras for the hundredth time, and wondered again when the meteor shower was supposed to happen. It was then that she felt a small tap on the side of her arm, and she turned around, only to come face to face with an alien man whom she did not know or recognize.

"Pardon me, forgive my intrusion, but I was wondering if perhaps I may ask you for a dance?" he said, his voice smooth, with a hint of refinement.

"Oh, um….sure." Bulma hesitated for a moment, caught off guard by the simple and humble request from the man as she looked back at her group, who all gave her a nod of their heads in understanding as she parted away from them. She glanced over at Vegeta again, who was currently distracted and in the middle of some conversation within his group. She then turned her attention to this man who had asked her for a dance, and the first thing she thought was that he was very handsome and exotic looking. He was very tall, with light blue skin, long green hair that was styled in one large braid, and he had amber-colored eyes. She noticed he also wore head apparel that resembled a tiara across his forehead, and wore earrings as well. Whoever he was, he carried himself as if he was royalty also. He held out his arm for her to take, which she did, and he guided her out to the open floor.

"I don't normally do this, but I figured this was worth a try." he chuckled elegantly, tentatively placing a hand on her waist and held her other hand with his as they began to slow dance.

Bulma blushed, feeling awkward for some reason. "Believe me, I'm not used to being asked for a dance."

"I find that hard to believe." the man responded, looking to her eyes, studying her face. "I would think you get asked all the time."

She blushed a little more red this time, looking away from his gaze, and out into the crowd. "Well…thank you." was all she could say, as she continued to dance with this handsome, mysterious stranger.

"My name is Zarbon." the alien said, continuing to study Bulma closely.

"Nice to meet you Zarbon. My name is Bulma." she responded, giving him a small smile.

"Bulma. A lovely name to go along with such a lovely face." he replied honestly, as he slowly guided her along the dance floor. "I must say…I've never seen a Saiyan with such exotic coloring as yours." Zarbon commented, intently studying her blue hair and her blue eyes.

"Oh, I'm…." she began to say, before hesitating to tell him she wasn't Saiyan. It had almost slipped her mouth. It was a tightly held secret that no one except the Saiyans and Riko knew she was a human from planet Earth. As far as the rest of the galaxies were concerned, she was Saiyan…or possibly from some other planet that no one knew about. But how could she be from another planet? No other race looked Saiyan. After all, no one else knew Earth or humans existed, or what they looked like. She very well could be Saiyan, except for her skin and hair color. "…I'm a rarity indeed. My coloring is a genetic flaw." Bulma recovered quickly, holding some truth to her statement, hoping that he couldn't see she was covering something up.

"A genetic flaw? Is that why you do not have a tail either?" Zarbon asked, seeming to accept her answer.

"I…was born without one." Bulma answered honestly. Well, it was true, she wasn't!

"Very interesting." Zarbon murmured, making Bulma start to feel nervous. She felt like she was under his scrutiny, and she began to not like his questions. "Well, genetic flaw or not, Princess, you are a lovely creature. I can see why Vegeta made you his."

Bulma's breath hitched in her throat for a moment at hearing Zarbon's words. She wasn't sure how she felt about hearing what he just said. It gave a strange feeling to her chest and her stomach. "You must be mistaken. I'm not his princess."

"Oh?" Zarbon questioned, mildly confused as he looked over at the golden and red band wrapped around Bulma's wrist. She followed the direction of his amber eyes to her band also. "This signifies you as royalty. Well, Saiyan royalty, to be precise."

She had no immediate response to that. She was left momentarily speechless as she looked away from the band on her wrist. Vegeta had said it signified them as V.I.P, but she didn't realize the gravity of it. So everyone here thought her to be Saiyan royalty? That she was….with Vegeta? She guessed it would have made sense. She was the only one wearing the same style band as his. She glanced around, and saw that no one else was wearing their type of band. Not even close.

"Well, I'm not Saiyan royalty." Bulma clarified to him. "But I can see how that could be misinterpreted."

"Forgive my mistake." Zarbon said charmingly, and brought Bulma a little closer to him. "Now that I know you are not his, then I'm sure the prince would have no qualms if you kept me company for the rest of the night?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." a deep, gruff voice sounded next to them, as Vegeta appeared and gave Zarbon a deadly glare. He wanted to get Bulma away from him as quickly as possible. Bulma had gasped, somewhat startled at his abrupt appearance. Zarbon released her from his hold, leaving her confused as she looked the two men glaring tensely between each other.

"Ah, Prince Vegeta. Nice to see you out and about." Zarbon said, giving him the slightest bow. "I didn't think you were the type to come to events such as these."

The prince stood strong and unyielding, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared him down. "There are a lot of things you may not think me capable of, Zarbon. You would be surprised."

Zarbon gave him an arrogant smirk, as he flipped his long braid back over his shoulder and stuck his nose up in the air at Vegeta's veiled threat. "I could say the same to you."

A low growl emitted from Vegeta's chest as he began to clench his hands. "Why don't you then? I've got nothing but time right now." Bulma's eyes widened, wondering just what came over the both of them. Apparently there was already some sort of underlying animosity between the two men.

Zarbon studied the prince for a moment, before looking back at Bulma. He smiled wickedly, turning his attention back to Vegeta. "Perhaps another time. If you both will excuse me, I have other matters to which I must attend. I will see you later, Vegeta." he promised, and with that, Zarbon turned around and left them.

Vegeta wrapped his tail lightly around Bulma's waist and gently pulled her toward him. He was feeling highly threatened, overly protective, and possibly a little scared. Zarbon could have killed her, in the flash of a moment, just like that. And _where_ was he at while Bulma was talking with him? He had been busy talking politics and business with others, getting distracted and not keeping a closer eye on her. He was a fucking idiot, he inwardly scolded himself.

"Vegeta?" Bulma asked him a little worriedly, seeing a tense look grace his handsome face.

"Don't talk to him again. Stay away from him." he ground out as a warning, not as a threat against her.

She studied him for a moment, seeing him show genuine worry. She furrowed her eyebrows, wondering what the hell was going on. "I didn't know you two were so against each other. He seemed so nice to me."

"Yes, he's a master of deception. Don't let him fool you. Appearances aren't always what they seem. He is a dangerous man." the prince warned her as he continued to sense Zarbon's ki move further away from them and away from the event. The further away it got, the more he felt he could breathe again.

"That's interesting….because I've been told the same thing about you." Bulma couldn't help but smirk, stepping closer to Vegeta and giving him a playful nudge on his side, trying to get him to relax.

He turned his head and looked at her, a small, evil smile gracing his lips. "And everything you've heard is true, don't you forget that."

Bulma couldn't help but chuckle. "So that means I should stay away from you, then?"

"It would be wise if you did. Then again, you're not known for being too bright." he attempted to bait her, only to watch her roll her eyes at him in mild amusement.

"Nice try. Anyway, I think you're just jealous."

"Jealous? Of what?" Vegeta asked, giving her a confused look.

"Of him dancing with me." she teased, stepping closer to him as one of the guests almost drunkenly walked right into her.

Vegeta scoffed at the thought. "Why would I be jealous, when I know you'd rather dance with me anyway?" he told her rather confidently as wrapped his tail a little more securely around her waist and pulled her even closer to him.

She inhaled sharply as she was brought closer against him."You're pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?" Bulma mused.

"I'm not hearing you deny it." was all Vegeta arrogantly said as he moved his left arm around her waist.

"Well, why don't we then?" she offered, calling his bluff as she turned around in his hold, and faced him. She placed her right hand on his upper arm as she bravely took hold of his other hand in hers.

"Dance?" he asked, genuinely caught off-guard as he watched her intertwine her fingers with his.

"Why not?" Bulma shrugged her shoulders lightly, giving Vegeta a flirtatious smile as she squeezed his hand affectionately. He eyed her, a smug smile on his lips as he brought her right up against him, both of them suddenly committed to this as they began to dance with each other. Neither one of them was really paying attention to the rhythm of the music as they moved slowly and gracefully around the floor, being careful not to run into other couples. By this time almost everyone was getting intoxicated and weren't moving around as elegantly as before.

* * *

When they took their first steps out on the dance floor, neither one of them thought they would spend the rest of the night dancing with each other. They had lost track of time, and of the other guests that were there as they continued to dance together and talk and banter about random things that came up on a whim. Maybe it had been the alcohol that initally relaxed them, but they hadn't had any more to drink in a couple of hours, and yet here they were still attached to each other, with no sign of letting go anytime soon. Whenever Bulma wasn't looking into Vegeta's eyes, she was looking up at the sky, still awed over the beautiful auroras before looking back at him and being just as enchanted by the smolder in his dark eyes.

Honestly, he was just as entranced by the look she held in her blue eyes.

Bulma rested her head on Vegeta's shoulder, nestling it near the crook of his neck as she looked out towards crowd of people still there. She just couldn't describe the feelings she was having as they continued to slowly and gracefully dance around the floor, the both of them being so close to each other...and not just physically.

"Vegeta?"

"Hn?"

"Can I ask you something?" she said softly.

"Go ahead."

"What does my ki feel like?"

"What makes you ask?" Vegeta murmured, feeling calm and serene as he held her in his arms, gently placing the side of his chin on top of her forehead as they continued to dance.

She let out a small sigh, feeling oddly content. "I guess I never thought about asking you before. Earlier you said you felt Goku's ki nearby. And you _knew_ it was him…so I wondered what mine feels like to you."

"It's hard to describe, since you can't sense ki yourself." he began, wondering how he would explain it. "You can recognize someone by seeing them, or simply by their voice, right?" He felt her nod her head 'yes' against him. "Same concept with ki. Everyone has their own individual energy signal. No two are alike. It's just another way of identification."

"You still haven't answered my question." Bulma said softly, closing her eyes, feeling utterly relaxed and happy against him. "What does _my_ ki feel like to you? Strong? Weak? Stressed? Intellegent? Female?" she randomly threw out descriptive suggestions on how ki could possibly be described, not having a clue on what it felt like to sense ki at all.

Vegeta took a deep breath and let it out, taking a moment to contemplate his next words to her. What did her ki feel like to him? It felt like a hundred things to him. "Your ki is….familiar." he offered the simple description, after finding an adequate word to describe it.

"Familiar? That's it?" Bulma commented in soft surprise, opening her eyes and pulling her head away from Vegeta's shoulder only to look up at him with a puzzled look. "I thought you'd say something different."

"Like what?" he asked her curiously.

She shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just wasn't expecting 'familiar'."

Vegeta looked back at her, affection hidden deeply in his eyes. "Familiar is a good thing, woman. I've felt your ki since before you were born."

"You were only 2 years old when I was born!"

"Yes, and already trained to sense ki signals around me. And I've felt yours ever since. You ki is familiar." Vegeta trailed off, hesitating to reveal something deeper to her, but after a moment, he figured what the hell. "You feel like home."

Bulma didn't know how to respond to such a rare and honest admission from him. What could she say to that? She felt her cheeks heat up in a blush as she looked away from his gaze. "I wish I could feel your ki, Vegeta."

At that point, he released his hold on her, much to her disappointment. But their separation was short lived as he proceeded to take off his gloves, tucking them behind his back, underneath his chest plate as he quickly placed his hold around her again. He wrapped his tail around her hips, bringing her close against him. He placed his arm around her waist, his bare hand coming in contact with the exposed skin on her lower back, earning a tiny, soft gasp from her at his somewhat intimate touch. He then took her other hand in his, interlocking his fingers with hers, glad to be rid of the small barrier between them. "What do you feel?" he demanded softly from her.

Bulma let in an unsteady breath as she felt his warm hand on her back, and the warmth of his other hand that was intertwined with hers. The feel of his bare skin against hers, as minor as the contact was, had somehow lit a fire inside her heart. "Warmth." she began, before shaking her head. "No. Not warmth. I feel heat. Strength. Confidence." she told him honestly, feeling the butterflies in her stomach running rampant and wild.

"Is that what I feel like to you, woman?" Vegeta murmured affectionately, giving her hand a gentle squeeze as he looked at her.

"For the most part." was all she could manage to say as she suddenly felt like she couldn't think very well, not with him looking at her like that. "Am I right? Is that what your ki feels like?" she said quietly, searching his face for a read on what he was thinking.

"Close enough." Vegeta replied, realizing he was getting too close to her for his own comfort. What the hell was he doing? Not to mention he was not a fan of public displays of affection, yet here he was with the woman. It was like he couldn't help himself, not when every move he seemed to make, she welcomed and returned. Damn this planet, he thought to himself, wondering if maybe there _was_ some sort of magical aura on Demesor after all. Before he could contemplate the thought any further, gasps and loud voices from the crowd were heard, and their momentary trance with each other was broken as Vegeta and Bulma looked up into the sky, and saw the beginnings of fire burn across the atmosphere.

"The shower's starting!" she said excitedly, gasping in delight as she watched the pieces of meteorites blaze though the atmosphere, causing bright streaks of light and fire to appear randomly. The meteor shower was so close…. she never thought she could ever be so close to one! Bulma's joy was radiant, as she continued to gaze up into the sky, watching the most amazing celestial show she thought she would ever get to see. She turned her head back to look at Vegeta, who was also caught up in looking at the meteor shower. He then felt her eyes on him and he looked down at her, giving her a small grin, which she mirrored back at him. She let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him as hard as she could as a 'thank you.' He chuckled lightly as she turned her neck to look back up into the sky, keeping the prince in her embrace.

Vegeta took in a deep breath and slowly let it out, feeling contentment, and perhaps even happiness as he coaxed Bulma to remove her arms from around him. She looked up at him with a confused look before she realized he was turning her around and facing her away from him. He figured she could lean back against him and not strain her neck. She got the hint as she felt him place his arms around her, bringing her against him. It was a very affectionate move, and one that Bulma more than welcomed as she placed her hands on top of his, intertwining their fingers together again. She leaned back into him, tilting the side of her head against his as they together they watched the falling stars shoot through the sky. Vegeta couldn't help but think to himself that even though his parents would be furious at his disappearance today, he would do this all over again, no questions asked.

She was well worth it.

* * *

It was almost 4:25 in the morning, Earth time, when Vegeta and Bulma arrived back at her home after the meteor shower ended and the event started to wind down. The tiredness and sleepiness started to kick in for both of them towards the end of the night after the celestial showcase. After it was over, they reluctantly agreed it was time to go home and get some much needed sleep. It had been a very long day for both of them, after all.

"I swear I'm never going to get used to this." Bulma said, referring to his Instant Transmission ability as they appeared back on Earth inside her darkened home. She squinted her eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden darkness.

"With Kakarot always teleporting you, you would think you'd be used to it by now." Vegeta said, naturally being able to see much better in the dark than she could, as he removed his arm from around her waist and grabbed her hand. He began to lead them up the stairs and down the hallway that lead to their bedrooms.

"No shit." Bulma chucked softly, before lowering her voice. "But it's different with you." she said quietly, not wanting to wake her parents up.

"Why the hell are you whispering?" Vegeta asked.

"Because I don't want to wake my parents up! It's probably like 4 in the morning right now." Bulma whispered loudly back to him.

"Their bedroom isn't even on the same level as ours! How could they possibly hear us?" Vegeta reasoned somewhat loudly, prompting her to hush him.

"Shhh! That's not the point." she told him as she tried to stifle a yawn with her other hand. It didn't work. "It's funny...I feel like we're teenagers again, sneaking back into the house, trying not to make a sound so we don't wake them up." she laughed softly, as her free hand found the hallway light and she flipped the switch. The light was bright, but it worked for her, since now she could see much more clearly.

"You were always the bad influence, making me fly you somewhere." Vegeta told her as he yawned also, wincing a bit at the sudden light that appeared in the hallway.

"Me?" Bulma said incredulously, pointing to herself. "I don't remember _you_ trying to stop me. You didn't have to come along."

"You _really_ expected me to let you go out at night by yourself? You're crazy."

"Shhh! At least keep your voice down. And you _wanted_ to come along with me." Bulma replied.

Vegeta gave her a small frown. "I did not."

"Yes you did, admit it! We have fun on our little adventures."

"I will admit nothing. Now get to bed, woman. You are to start working on my new gravity room as soon as possible. How much sleep is good for you? Two hours, right?"

"Ha ha." Bulma said sarcastically. "Give me at least seven."

"How about four hours, and I bring you tons of coffee?" Vegeta offered her, half-seriously.

Bulma rolled her eyes at him, shaking her head. "Jerk."

"Brat."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "How about five hours?" she compromised.

"Five is acceptable." the prince agreed reluctantly, looking at her for a few moments, studying her. It was with a look that Bulma had seen from him earlier.

"What is it?" she asked him, feeling something was amiss.

"Nothing, woman." Vegeta told her as he looked down, realizing they were still holding hands. Before he could wonder why they still were, Bulma squeezed his hand and stepped up close to him, prompting him to look up at her, wondering what she wanted.

"Thank you for tonight." she told him sincerely, looking into his dark eyes and seeing that he seemed confused about something.

"You're welcome." Vegeta murmured as he let her hand go. It was then that Bulma placed her hand on the side of Vegeta's face and leaned in, giving him a warm, affectionate kiss on his cheek. She then slowly pulled away…and as she did, their eyes locked for a short moment.

It was in that very moment that everything changed between them.

Vegeta's heart began to beat faster, and Bulma's had skipped a beat, when he leaned in, quickly closing the distance between them as he crushed his lips against hers. The kiss had only lasted for a few seconds, but as they were caught in that moment in time, it felt as though it was an eternity. He managed to break their kiss, his breathing somewhat labored as he looked at Bulma, alarmed at his actions, unsure of what she was thinking or feeling now. Hell, _he_ wasn't even sure how he felt about what he just did!

Bulma managed a difficult swallow, staring at Vegeta for a few seconds, hardly able to make her voice work. Even if she could, what would she say?! She hadn't expected this, but truth be told, she didn't have time to reason anything out. Her heart took over as she quickly placed her hand behind Vegeta's head, pulling him forward, bringing his lips to meet hers again as she passionately kissed him back.

Any doubt that Vegeta may have had about kissing Bulma disappeared when she reciprocated his unexpected kiss.

After all their years of knowing each other, despite the distance between them...

-despite the time spent apart...sometimes years,

-despite their constant arguments and the pressuring demands their worlds placed upon each of them,

...they had somehow managed to fall in love with each other.

There was no obvious time or place that it had happened. When it came to destiny, how could anyone ever pinpoint an exact moment?

Vegeta placed his hands on her hips, the nervousness, awkwardness, and resistance no longer existant between them as he confidently stepped forward, pressing Bulma's back against the wall. She ran her hands over his scalp and through his hair, grazing her nails along his neckline as they kissed with fevered passion. Instinctually, she grabbed a fistful of his hair and pulled it, producing a growl of pleasure from deep within his chest.

Bulma broke the kiss after hearing him growl, worried she had made him mad. "Did I hurt you?" she asked breathily, her chest heaving with the intensity of the heated moment.

"No, it felt good." Vegeta's deep, husky response sent pleasurable feelings through her as he silenced her with his lips again. She did not protest against him, sighing against him in satisfaction, feeling his strong hands grip her hips and slide up and down her sides, making her want more.

"Vegeta..." she managed to breathe, urging him on as they kissed. She was overwhelmed from the emotions she had for him as her feelings were brutally pulled forward to the surface, after having been hidden deep within her for the longest of times. At the moment, she felt she could spend an eternity with him, and still never get enough.

Hearing Bulma breathe _his_ name in desire...it only further fueled the fire that had ignited inside his soul for her. "Quiet woman, you'll wake up your parents." Vegeta smirked against her skin as he broke their kiss, trailing his mouth along Bulma's jawline and down the side of her neck. The elation at finally being able to claim her was overwhelming for him.

This was crazy. This was insane!

This was everything they never knew they wanted.

Vegeta snaked his tail underneath Bulma's dress, wrapping it around one of her legs as he ran the tip of his tail along the inside of her thigh, teasing her. Well, to her it was more like torture as he was rewarded for his effort when she mewled in pleasure. Satisfied that she still welcomed his advances, he began his trail of kisses back up her neck to her jawline. "What the hell do you bathe yourself in, sugar?" he murmured, beginning to nip at her flushed skin.

Bulma panted as she let Vegeta ravish her, continuing to run one hand through his hair, her other hand trying to grip his torso, only to be blocked by his armor. She decided to hell with his armor, tugging at it for a few seconds as the prince then took the hint, breaking away from her for a moment. He pulled his cape and shoulder armor over his head, tossing it aside as he then removed his chestplate, tossing that aside as well. He flashed her a sexy smirk, and she returned a sultry smile at him as he swept her up in his hold again, their lips crashing together once more as she ran her hands over his upper body. Vegeta growled again in pleasure, quickly losing the power to restrain himself. They still tried to be as quiet as possible, which was a difficult feat in and of itself, considering how quickly things heated up between them. It was faster than either one of them ever expected, but he figured to hell with her parents if they woke up from the noise.

"What are we doing?" Bulma breathed out in question, her voice raspy with desire as she felt his lips move down her neck again. It was hard to clear her head when all she could think of was how damn good he felt against her.

"I don't know." Vegeta breathed hot against her body, his lips soft upon her skin.

"This is wrong." she murmured, her mind starting to override her heart as sickening guilt had begun to rear its ugly head into the picture.

"Is it?" Vegeta purred against her neck for a moment as he then brought his face level to hers. He saw the desire flickering in her blue eyes...those eyes, they would be the death of him, he inwardly told himself as he pressed his mouth against hers again in another heated kiss. "It feels right to me." he mumbled against her lips.

"I know…" Bulma breathed heavily, agreeing with him as she continued to kiss him. "But...that's not what...I'm talking about…" she panted again as she managed to break his intense kisses and turn her head away from him slightly. "I can't do this to Yamcha."

Instantly, the mood in the hallway changed by those six simple, dangerous words.

She heard Vegeta growl for a third time, but this time she could tell it was out of warning, and anger, at hearing his name brought up. She winced, knowing it was horribly bad timing on her part, but she had to stop this before it really went too far.

Vegeta abruptly managed to tear himself away from her, feeling like she had just attacked him. He clenched his fists, his breathing still labored from the intensity of their moment together, mixed with an anger that he could not explain. "Why the fuck are you bringing him up right now?!" he snarled at her. He had so many feelings and emotions running through him right now, he wasn't sure what direction he was being pulled in.

Bulma breathed heavily, trying to will her heart and her body to calm down, forcing herself to think rationally. "Because I don't want to _be_ like him!"

"Woman, you are _nothing_ like him." Vegeta spat out distastefully, not understanding what she meant. All he knew was that he was pissed off at the abrupt change in direction this situation was suddenly going in.

"Really? Because I'm still _engaged_ to him! If I cheat on him...then I'll be no better of a person than _he_ was when he cheated on me!" Bulma said sternly, ignoring what her heart wanted as she tried to get Vegeta to understand why she couldn't go any further with him at this moment.

"Then go to scar-face, right now, and tell him you don't want to be with him anymore!" Vegeta demanded from her, seeing a very easy solution to her supposed problem. If her code of ethics was stopping them from being together, then Bulma's tie to the weakling simply needed to be severed. "In fact, I'll even take you over to him right now." he said firmly, grabbing her arm and beginning to raise his two fingers to his forehead, intent on feeling out the weakling's ki and teleporting them. Who cared if it was an ungodly hour in the morning?

Vegeta didn't miss how the look on Bulma's face immediately changed as she whipped her arm away from his grasp, stopping him from teleporting them. "Who says I don't want to be with him anymore?!" she mindlessly blurted out, feeling like he was trying to control her as she shot a dark glare at him. "_You_ don't get to make that decision, Vegeta! No one but _me_ gets to make that decision!" she said loudly to him, bringing forth to the surface some of the doubts and fears and full-grown resentment she had bottled up within her, inadvertently taking out her frustrations on him.

He glared back just as darkly at her. "_Your_ 'decision'?!" He fisted his hands, trying to reign in his anger. "Have you ever thought to consider _my_ opinion on anything?!"

"Your '_opinion' _on what?!" Bulma demanded. "You and Yamcha have _never_ gotten along since the day you two met! You two hate each other with a passion! I already know what your 'opinion' of him is! How can I not? You mention it to me every damn chance you get!"

Vegeta growled at her, his pride refusing to say the words he really wanted to say to her. "Yet nothing seems to register in that tiny brain of yours because you choose to remain blind to _who_ and _wha_t he is! You pride yourself on being a genius, but your serious lack of judgement in choosing him for a mate is proving you to be a complete idiot!"

It was Bulma's turn to growl, hating to be called an idiot, or anything demeaning to her intelligence. "How dare you!" she yelled at him, her pride damaged. "You are unbelieveable! How can you expect me to drop _everything_ like that, just because you don't like him?! I've got a massive multi-million zeni wedding happening in a couple of days! You want me to just end it with him, just like that..." she said, snapping her fingers, "...and not even show him the respect of taking time to sit him down and talk with him about anything?!"

"Yes." Vegeta spat out demandingly, clenching his fists as his tail lashed around angrilly. That was exactly what he wanted her to do.

Bulma looked at him incredulously, not believing he was truly expecting this from her. "So...what? You want me to simply go over to his place, _right now_, and tell him that I don't want to be with him anymore because of _why_?" she demanded from him. "Why, Vegeta? Because you said so?! You want me to tell him I'm leaving him for _what_...a fling with _you_?!" She immediately regretted the words that came tumbling out from her mouth as she winced, hearing her tell him such a heartless thing, knowing she had hurt him. She didn't know what had gotten into her. Perhaps it was her exhaustion, coupled with the overwhelming stress lately, that made her lash out at him like that.

As right as it felt when they were all over each other those few minutes ago, their newly-surfaced feelings for each other scared the hell out of them, as they unexpectedly crossed the line between whatever they were, to something much more.

"A fling?!" Vegeta's aura immediately darkened at her audacity. He shot her one of the most pissed off looks he had ever given her before. He was so enraged at her words that he wasn't even sure he wanted to speak to her. "A _**fling**_?! Is THAT what you think this is?!" he yelled at Bulma as an unfamiliar feeling clutched at his chest. Everything was going badly between them, as the pain began to take hold.

"Am I wrong?!" she yelled back, demanding an answer from him even as her breath inside her lungs tightened, feeling the bitter sting of regret from knowing she had hurt him. She felt like the downward spiral they were in would not stop, as the divide between them was quickly growing. She wasn't sure what answer she wanted to hear from him as she saw the vein on his forehead pop out, watching as he clenched his fists and was trying his best to restrain his anger at her. "Tell me what this is!"

Vegeta refused to answer her at first, as they stood tensely in the hallway. Bulma breathed heavily, worried at how pissed off he was, even more alarmed at how much she had hurt him. "I'll tell you what this was." he said after a few quiet, agonizing moments. "This was a fucking mistake."

The pain inside Bulma's heart grew even stronger. Her pride wouldn't let her try to prove him wrong. "I guess it was, wasn't it?!" she snapped back at him, feeling angered at the situation they now found themselves in.

"Yes, the biggest mistake of my life." Vegeta said tersely, thrown back by how quickly things went sour between them. The pain and hurt he was feeling was getting to be too much to bare, as he glared at Bulma. All he wanted to do now was leave her sight, and somehow get her out of his heart. "I take that back. _**You're**_ the biggest mistake of my life." he told Bulma, regret hitting him at the last words poured from his mouth. He wanted to hurt her as much as she had hurt him. It must have worked, because he saw the tears quickly building up in her eyes as she gave him a stunned look that spoke volumes.

"Vegeta!" she pleaded sternly, shocked and hurt at his words, trying not to let her tears fall as she felt their bond quickly being severed. Their hearts were breaking, and it was horribly painful, and terribly real. The damage had been done, and their regret was _just as strong_ as their anger and the feelings of rejection they felt. Unfortunately, their pride demanded that tonight was something that neither one of them would easily forget or let go of.

The prince growled dangerously at her, not wanting to hear another word from her mouth, _especially_ not his name. "Do me a favor, Bulma. Don't bother me tomorrow, or from now on, unless it is absolutely necessary. As far as I am concerned, I expect you to build the gravity room in six weeks, as agreed." As Bulma was stunned into silence, he pointed a finger at her, unable to stop his outburst. "And don't you dare expect me to be there to watch you marry that fucking human weakling! In fact, you can forget me ever coming back to Earth."

Having said his final words, he raised his fingers to his forehead, glaring at Bulma. He forced himself to ignore the tears that were threatening to fall from her beautiful eyes as he concentrated on Bardock's ki, teleporting himself back to Vegetasei.

* * *

"_Restless tonight 'cause I wasted the light-_

_-between both these times I drew a really thin line._

_It's nothing I planned, and not that I can…_

…b_ut you should be mine across that line."_

Fantastic verse from a song, and had to add this here because I felt it fit great with the chapter.

Okay, be honest with me. How did you like the chapter? I know you probably hate the ending of it. Believe me, I felt all these different emotions as I was writing this chapter, especially the ending. Even I'm heartbroken with what is going on now, and I'm the one writing the direction of the story! It's bad when it's starting to affect me in real life. I couldn't sleep well after I finished this chapter, guess I was too stressed out.

I hope you will leave me a review and tell me your thoughts on this chapter. All of them. I don't care how long your review is, I want to hear it! And thank you for continuing to read my story and follow it. Sorry for the long waits between chapters, but I'm trying my best to give you a good quality story. My biggest fear when I first began to write this, beside keeping everyone somewhat in character, was moving the story too fast. I know it has taken a long time to get where we're at, but I like to think that you have developed a relationship with the characters (especially Vegeta and Bulma), and that watching things slowly develop is more rewarding that having it all happen in the first few chapters. Like I said in my earlier chapters, this journey will be long, and I hope you're still down for the ride.

Love ya! Chapter 15 is under construction. It will be out as soon as I can manage. Thanks for reading!


	15. Author's Note

Hey everyone!

No, chapter 15 isn't up (yet). Sorry for the false alarm! I just wanted to let all of you know that I re-wrote the ending to the last chapter. I wasn't completely happy with it, so I elaborated more with their emotions and put more details in how things went from wonderful to horrible.

I also made some other minor changes earlier in the chapter, but nothing really big enough to cause confusion or disrupt future reading. But I do ask that you please take a moment to go back to chapter 14 and re-read the ending from when they arrived back on Earth from the event, since that is the part of the story I changed up.

Sorry to tell you, but I didn't change anything for the better between them, lol.

One of the changes I made is that I'm having Vegeta directly teleport himself to Bardock, instead of Tarble, as I had previously wrote. It's an important change, since that will now start off my next chapter.

Thanks for your time, everyone. Sorry for any inconvenience. I hope you will re-read my updated ending. And if you feel like re-reading the whole chapter again, then by all means, go for it! And meanwhile, while you're doing that, I'm going to continue working on the next chapter.

See you guys again soon! And thank you for all the reviews! I'm so glad you guys are still loving the story, even though our favorite couple has hit a major bump in the road. Trust me, I'm not happy about it either, but I'm pretty sure I can fix it. Just depends on which way I decide to go.

Bellaniza


	16. Mirrored Reflections

Hello my wonderful readers! Yes, this is an update! No false alarms this time!

For those of you who don't know, I posted an 'Author's Note' after chapter 14, so it messed up the sequential order of the chapters now. Rest assured that this is chapter 15, not 16, so don't be alarmed if you think you missed a chapter!

I want to take this moment to THANK YOU ALL from the bottom of my DBZlovin' heart for your continued reading and support! Thanks for all the reviews you leave. I appreciate the compliments, as well as the critiques for they continue to help me become a better writer.

I am very happy that you are continuing to enjoy my story and like where it is going. I know some pretty heavy stuff happened in our last chapter as things took an unexpected turn. Believe me, I am as impatient as you are! I just want to get our favorite couple together already, and say good riddance to the rest of what's going on….but then that would be no fun, my story would be immediately over, and that would make me pretty sad. I don't know if I'm ready for this story to be finished….I have at least a few more chapters planned, and then it will be probably be over. Could always write a sequel, I suppose? Or maybe not a sequel, but continue on with the basic premise? We'll talk about it more as the story comes closer to an end, because I would really like your opinions. Maybe I can even take on a writing challenge, like a special story idea request from you guys.

Okay, enough rambling. Let's get on to chapter 15. I know you all have been waiting patiently, so I won't keep you any longer. Thank you for your time, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

A/N: I don't own DBZ. I am, however, thrilled about the 'DBZ: Battle of Gods' movie! I can't wait. As soon as I heard about Goku turning into a Super Saiyan God, my first thought was that eventually Vegeta would turn into one also! You have no idea how psyched I am about that!

Second A/N: In case you were wondering, it's 2 days until Bulma's wedding.

* * *

**Chapter 15- Mirrored Reflections **

It was early morning on the beautiful red planet as Vegeta suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He forcefully stumbled forward, managing to reach out with his free hand to grab hold of the examining table in front of him. He had much need for the support as he lowered his fingers from his forehead, steadying himself as he was overwhelmed by the effort and strength it took him to abruptly tear himself away from Bulma and teleport back to his homeworld. He had forced himself to teleport out of instinct without taking his usual few needed moments of concentration, as he focused solely on the ki of the only Saiyan whose company he could stand to be around at the moment.

Bardock's eyes widened in complete surprise at seeing the wayward prince as he unexpectedly manifested in front of his eyes. "Vegeta!" he hissed as he shot of his chair and rushed over to him. "You're in a lot of trouble! Guards and Elites have been storming the palace, patrolling all around the planet, awaiting your arrival! Your parents are outraged! _What the hell is going on?!_" he emphasized in alarm, not immediately sensing the condition that the prince was in.

Vegeta remained silent, his head bent downward as a wave of sickening regret hit him. The anger he felt towards himself and Bulma, as well as the startling intensity of pain at the divide between them, had hit him harder than he realized. His arms trembled from the conflicting emotions that were flowing through his veins as he gripped the examining table, effortlessly bending and crushing the metal in his hands.

Bardock took a step back, rightfully cautious after feeling the suffocating aura that now filled the room. He immediately started to diagnose the prince, feeling his powerful ki spike up in an unpredictable pattern that was indicative that Vegeta was very, _very_ disturbed about something. He began to think quickly….right now the prince was a shining beacon for their scouters as the Elites and Royal Guards would read his energy signal and hone in on him in mere minutes. The need to protect Vegeta as much as he could suddenly took hold. "Vegeta?" he asked hesitantly, not knowing what was the matter with him.

"I think you're right, Bardock." the prince said, his voice sounding detached.

Bardock paused, uncertain if he wanted to hear whatever he was going to say. "About?" he voiced in hesitant confusion.

"I think I've gone insane." Vegeta answered back in a uncharacteristically calm, serious tone as he kept his iron grip on the metallic examining table. He glared at it, unwillingly recalling the countless times he was made to sit or lay on one while Bulma inspected his wounds and tended to his injuries. He growled at his unwanted thoughts as he forcefully shoved the table away from him, causing it to collide and smash into a few other tables. He remained standing, clenching his hands into fists as he tried not to think of her.

Gone insane? Those weren't exactly the words that Bardock expected to hear from him. Not at all. "Vegeta, what's wrong?!" he asked in alarmed concern as he placed his hand on the prince's shoulder. He couldn't help the fatherly, protective side of him kicking in as he sensed Vegeta's ki was hyper-stressed over something.

Vegeta snarled as he rolled his arm away from him, freeing his shoulder from Bardock's calming touch as he shot him a deadly glare. "Nothing's wrong!" he snapped out, clenching his fists again as he tried to reign in his anger and the surprising heartache he was feeling. His heart was pounding in his chest, his tail thrashed in anger as he was overcome in emotion and utterly torn in more than one direction. No, nothing was wrong, he inwardly told himself, nothing but temporary weakness that he needed to purge from his heart. When the hell did he become so soft? When did he suddenly drop his guard and allow himself to feel all these sickening _human_ emotions?!

Since when did he place Bulma on such a high pedestal? Since when did he become so disgraced to be reduced down to a prince who desired a weak human woman? How _dare_ she get into his heart and make him feel emotions that he believed he was immune to! How _dare_ she toy with him! How _dare_ she make him think that she was his! It was _she_ who should be holding him up on that high pedestal! It was _she_ who should be desiring him!

How _dare_ she choose that human weakling over him!

Bardock chose to remain silent as he watched the clearly distraught prince walk over to his personal regeneration tank and began to press buttons, programming the system. As Vegeta's ki continued to spike up randomly, Bardock glanced over at his scouter resting on his desk, seeing the red lights flashing. An alert. The prince had been sensed back on the planet and they would be coming for him very, very soon. "Vegeta, you must calm down." he began to urge. "Kakarot's already told you….the whole palace is looking for you. You've been sensed… they're already on their way here to get you."

Vegeta scoffed with indifference. "Let them. What's my father going to do, strip me of my title and disown me? And my mother, what will she do? Cut my tail off and banish me? I dare them to even try." he spoke in a stern, composed tone as he eyed the entrance of the medical bay for a moment, awaiting Royal Guards or Elites to come bursting through those doors to apprehend him and take him to his parents. Come to think of it, maybe he should let them. He was itching for a fight. Why the hell not? Getting his anger and frustration out on someone sounded like a great idea. He would show everyone how hopeless their efforts were in trying to control him and tell him what he could and could not do. He didn't really care who it was that he beat to a bloody pulp. Hell, the way he was feeling, he could take down the entire Saiyan militia and level his whole planet to dust right now if he so wanted.

"The way things are going, they just might." Bardock said in a grim tone, earning a rather disturbing look from Vegeta. The medic eyed the prince warily, not liking the vibe he was giving off. Whatever was the matter with him, he seemed…unstable. "I don't know what's going on, but we need to buy you some time. Enough for me to at least calm your father and mother down, or at the very best, get them to call the Guards and Elites off your neck!"

"What the hell do you _think_ I'm doing?!" Vegeta barked in reply, as he turned his attention from the entrance to the medical bay back to his rejuvenation tank. He finished up whatever he was programming in the system as he then heard the tank beep a code of acceptance. He turned his attention back to Bardock, a dark, stern look on his face. "I am only going to say this _once_. I am to remain undisturbed while inside the tank. Is that understood? Even if my father orders you to get me out of there, I don't give a shit. _You keep me in there_."

The medic looked at him incredulously. "You want me to _defy_ your father?!" At seeing Vegeta's unwavering, uncompromising glare, he knew the prince meant it. Bardock managed a difficult swallow. "Do you want me to _die_? How in hell do you expect me to go against his orders?!"

Vegeta growled as he pointed a finger in warning. "I swear, Bardock, you and Kakarot are one in the exact same! _You're_ the lead medic….fucking _make up a reason why_! Surely you can think of one." he said with absolute finality as he opened the door and stepped into his tank. He grabbed the breathing mask and watched as Bardock walked over and read the screen above the button panel to his tank.

"Sedatives?!" Bardock exclaimed in disbelief, his eyes widening as he saw what Vegeta had programmed for himself. He looked at him with apprehension. "But you _never_ use sedatives!"

"Like I said, I've lost my damn mind." the prince spat back in reply.

"That's not funny." Bardock voiced in genuine worry. "Not humorous at all."

"What makes you think I'm joking?" Vegeta said harshly as he then paused for a moment. "Speaking of jokes, your son is right around the corner." he said, sensing Raditz moving in on them quickly, with Nappa not too far behind. He gave Bardock one last order as he moved to place the breathing mask over his face. "Keep an eye on the levels after I go under."

Bardock looked at him numbly, not knowing what was going on, but there was no time to talk with him and find out what was troubling him so badly. "As you wish." he reluctantly obeyed his demands. "How long do you want to be kept sedated?" he asked, still not believing that Vegeta willingly programmed sedatives to be administered to himself. He wasn't even injured! Why the hell was he going into the rejuvenation tank?

"Forever." the prince ground out sarcastically as he gave Bardock a look. Vegeta reasoned with himself that he wanted to be sedated long enough to get some badly needed rest, and hopefully awaken with a much clearer mind.

But in truth, he wanted to be under long enough to sink into a deep, dark oblivion, void of all feelings and thoughts about Bulma.

He wanted to be under long enough to heal the unfamiliar pain in his heart, one that could never be detected or measured by an EKG machine.

He wanted to be under long enough to hopefully awaken and no longer feel the sinking feeling of regret…or the suffocating fire of anger….or the surprising love for a blue-haired, genius, beautiful human woman who would never be his.

"Forever? You're being a bit overdramatic, don't you think?" Bardock replied worriedly, question in his dark eyes as he wanted to know why Vegeta was so willing to resort to something like sedation. This was alarming, and upsetting. Going by the dangerous look reflected back at him by the tumultuous Saiyan prince, he wasn't going to get answers from him anytime soon.

"Blame it on my lack of sleep." Vegeta ground out as he placed the mask over his face and firmly shut the tank door, abruptly ending the conversation before it could even truly begin. He shot Bardock an stern look through the glass, and the medic sighed disapprovingly as he pressed a button, starting the rejuvenation tank on its cycles. Bardock watched as it began to fill up with healing fluid, seeing the prince quickly being submerged as the machine beeped a few times, alerting that the sedatives were now being administered.

Vegeta closed his eyes, feeling the effect of the sedatives hit him fast. A small feeling of panic washed over him at first, not liking how they were affecting him, but the anxiety quickly subsided. Troubled, he sank into the promising dark comfort of sleep, temporarily giving up control of himself, his surroundings and his environment. Just for once he was willing to no longer be awake and conscious. He had to trust that Bardock would keep him in the tank until it was time for him to come out.

No more thinking of his mistakes. No more thinking of regrets. No more thinking of her. No more feeling anything. No more existing.

For the time being, it was exactly what he wanted.

* * *

A minute later, Raditz and Nappa burst through the entrance doors of the medical ward, rushing their way through the hallways until they came upon the entrance to the tank room. Only minutes ago, Vegeta's ki signal had abruptly appeared back on Vegetasei. It had been strong until the last minute or so when they had felt his life energy drop alarmingly fast. Too fast for their liking, as they sensed he was near Bardock in the medical ward. A sinking feeling was threatening to overtake them as they worried that Vegeta had finally done it and got himself killed…or at best, he was gravely injured and was on the verge of dying.

"Where is he?!" Raditz yelled demandingly as he swung the doors open to the tank room and stormed in with Nappa closely following suit. He quickly approached his father who, to his surprise, was calmly seated at his station.

"In his tank." Bardock replied evenly, nodding his head in Vegeta's direction. Raditz and Nappa both turned around to look, and indeed saw the prince fully submerged in his rejuvenation tank.

"He's not dead." Nappa voiced the obvious, relieved for the moment as he tried to calm Raditz down by placing a strong hand on his shoulder. "He's not dead." he reassured him.

Knowing this didn't make Raditz feel any better. "Does he even _realize_ what the hell he's put us through?!" he yelled, torn between being glad Vegeta was back home safely, and wanting to yank him out of the tank and give him a few good, well-deserved powerful punches in his royal face.

"Calm down, son." Bardock said, standing up from his chair and walking over to where he and Nappa were.

"Don't tell me to fucking calm down! " Raditz growled, shrugging his shoulder away from underneath Nappa's hand as he began to pace back and forth angrily, glaring at Vegeta in the tank every now and then. "He insists on taking off to wherever he pleases, without telling anyone where he's going, _not even us_! He continually goes beyond our protection! He keeps defying his parents…he keeps getting me and Nappa in trouble for it…and he's getting Kakarot in trouble now also! So don't you tell me to calm down!" the tall, long-haired Saiyan finished his rant, clenching his fists as he continued to prowl back and forth, trying his best to calm his temper down.

Nappa let out a half-hearted sigh as he watched Raditz pace around, voicing his unabashed irritation at their prince. After a moment, Nappa turned to Bardock with a much more level head than his Saiyan comrade currently had. "You can't blame him, Bardock. We felt Vegeta's ki suddenly drop down to almost nothing. We didn't know if he was dead…or on the verge of it."

Bardock nodded in understanding. The guardian trait ran strong and dominant in their family, and at times like this it was a curse as he watched Raditz fight the internal battle between being pissed at Vegeta for his recklessness and continued defiance, coupled with relief that Vegeta was back home safe and alive, as well as worrying over what the king and queen were going to do their rebellious son later on. He knew how Raditz felt, because it was exactly what he was feeling also. "Vegeta is fine. Well…physically, at least." the medic replied, earning an suspicious look from his eldest son.

"Just what in the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?!" Raditz demanded, stopping in his pacing as he walked back over to his father. He stood in front of him, looking down at him as he crossed his arms across his broad chest, wanting an answer.

Nappa had to agree with Raditz as he voiced his concern also. "If he's fine, then why is he in a rejuvenation tank?!"

"I'm afraid I don't know." Bardock answered honestly, earning incredulous looks from them both.

"What do you mean you don't know?!" it was Nappa's turn to demand, not liking the sudden turn of the conversation.

Bardock sighed, running a hand through his wild, dark hair. "Look, questions and answers will have to wait until later, whether we like it or not. For now we must be grateful that Vegeta is alive and okay. He is back home now, and we all can be mad at him later…but for right now I need you both need to say outside this door and guard and protect him." he paused for a moment, letting his words sink in. He looked at his son and at Nappa, his own eyes reflecting a deep worry he did not care to hide. "He's sedated."

"You sedated him?!" Nappa said in apprehension, not sure if he should be angry or worried that Bardock did such a thing.

At hearing his father's last words, Raditz dropped his arms down to his sides in shock. "You did _what_?!" his anger rose again. "He doesn't use sedatives!"

"Don't you think I know that?!" Bardock growled back. "He put himself in the tank! He programmed the sedatives himself!"

Shocked, Raditz and Nappa quickly looked over at Vegeta again, and felt out his energy signal. It was low, but it was steady and it was even. He was calm. He was relaxed. There was no doubt about it…he was knocked out completely.

"Shit." was all Nappa could say. This was disturbing, to say the least.

Raditz studied Vegeta for a few moments through the tank. He did not appear injured. Was it true? He put himself in there? And sedated himself? "But he…." Raditz paused in alarm, looking back at his father, not knowing what else to say. "He _never _uses…."

"I know." Bardock tried to console him. He let out a frustrated sigh as he turned away from them and slowly walked back to his station. "He already knows he's in trouble, but from what I gathered from him, it's the least of his concern. For the time being, it will now be ours." He reached his desk, grabbing his scouter and holding it up in front of him, turning back to his son and Nappa. "I don't know what's happened, but whatever is wrong with Vegeta….we need to give him time."

Raditz nodded, a concerned look etched on his face as he listened to his father. His anger and irritation at Vegeta would have to be quickly pushed aside to be dealt with at a later time. "Right. The others will be coming here to get him." he said as he looked to Nappa for some level-headed guidance.

"I'll alert the Guards and the rest of the Elites that he's back, in a rejuvenation tank, and will be in there for awhile. That will call off the search and buy us some time. The king and queen are busy with meetings….they will not call for him right away." Nappa said, promptly walking away from them and heading toward the entrance doors. He hoped to intercept anyone trying to get to Vegeta as he pressed a button on his scouter, his voice fading away as he put the message out there to the Saiyan militia.

"Go, Raditz, follow him. You and Nappa need to keep everyone else away from Vegeta. Tell your brother to come see me as soon as possible. He and I will handle his parents' wrath. Now hurry." Bardock said, nodding an encouragement to his son.

"Right." Raditz said, throwing a protective glance over Vegeta, reassuring himself that he was okay as he pressed a button on his scouter, turning to walk away as he spoke into it. He confirmed Nappa's message that they had the prince in their custody and would be guarding him until he was out of the medical bay, and would personally escort him to the king and queen, as ordered.

* * *

Bulma watched helplessly as Vegeta teleported away, and immediately felt the shattered distance between them. She allowed the tears that were gathered in her eyes to fall freely now. It would have been shameful to cry in front of him. She had been taught by Saiyans to be stronger than that, and to have cried tears in front of him would have only shown her weakness. Bulma leaned heavily against the wall, sliding down against it until she sat herself down on the soft, plush carpet. Her tears…they burned hot down her face as she felt her throat constrict from the overwhelming emotions that she was drowning in. Her lungs burned like fire, demanding that she cry outloud as she stubbornly refused to do so, holding her anguish within. Her chest heaved heavily as she raised her hands to her face, cradling her head as she felt this was a horrible dream.

Her mind reeled as she wondered what the hell just happened between them. Waves of conflicting thoughts washed over her as she battled her anger and regret and despair at the same time. How could Vegeta do this to her?! How could he kiss her like that and change everything between them now?! How could he make her feel all these emotions that she was currently choking on?! How could he think he had the right to demand that she call off things with Yamcha?! How could she expect him not to?! She let out a frustrated groan as she tried to wipe the unrelenting tears away from her face. Yes, she was upset with herself for kissing Vegeta back and letting it get as far as it did…but she was even more upset that in trying to do the right thing by Yamcha, she ended up hurting the one man who she thought she could never hurt.

A mistake, Vegeta had said. He had called it a mistake.

He called _her_ a mistake.

He meant it. A deep feeling of sadness engulfed her. Vegeta was never the type to lie or say something he didn't mean, especially to her. He was a man of his word, and he had meant every last word he said to her. Despite what people thought, she was no exception to the rule.

And what about her? She had lashed out at him unfairly, calling it a fling. _A fling!_ Regret reared its ugly head at Bulma. She couldn't help the words that had tumbled from her mouth. She had panicked. She was just as responsible for the words she had told him, that included when she had agreed with him that it was a mistake. Their moment together, it had happened so quickly and so passionately that neither one of them ever really had a chance to anticipate it or even avoid it. The guilt bitterly stung her as Bulma inhaled deeply and let out a shaky breath. Whatever it was that had happened between them, she knew it was not something as superficial and so easily forgotten as a fling.

This shook them to their very core, down to their very hearts and souls as they crossed some invisible line that neither one of them knew had existed. There was no other way to explain it. Whatever they were to each other…it had been immediately turned upside-down in an insanely wonderful, unbearably heartbreaking moment. Bulma didn't expect this. She didn't plan on this happening.

And she was reasonably sure that Vegeta didn't either.

Her heart ached as she felt she was being torn apart in multiple directions. If she was feeling this way, she could only begin to imagine how Vegeta was feeling. This was something that neither of them would be able to get over anytime soon. How could they? What could she say to him? He made it clear he did not want talk to her. How were things ever going to be okay between them again, when he was never coming back to Earth, and she was supposed to be getting married soon?

It was all too overwhelming for Bulma as she, in true Saiyan behavior, began to shut down, pushing her anger and heartbreak aside. Her tears began to subside as she took a moment to compose herself, wiping the remnants of the last tears away. She stood up from the floor with some difficulty, and began to head to her room only to see Vegeta's armor and cape a few feet away from her. With a heavy heart, she bent down to pick them up and as she did so, his gloves fell to the floor along with his credit chip. Seeing the microchip brought unwanted memories of the earlier day with him, and as Bulma leaned over to reach for the fallen items, she suddenly began to feel overwhelmingly tired and drained of energy.

Concerned at what she thought was exhaustion that had abruptly hit her, she picked up the items and made her way to her bedroom. She opened the door and closed it behind her, tossing Vegeta's armor and gloves to a corner of her room. She cautiously made her way in the dark, reaching her bed and landing heavily upon it. Sleepily, she managed to take off her earrings and her jewelry, placing them on her nightstand along with his microchip. Bulma crawled under the sheets, clutching her pillow for comfort, telling herself that this was all a bad dream. Things would not seem as bad tomorrow as they felt right now. It was a lie, she knew, but it was one she needed to tell herself as she tried not to think about Vegeta anymore, surrendering herself to the intense beckoning call of sleep.

How could either of them know that tonight they truly _had_ crossed a line? A line that, to this very day, Goku and Chi-Chi still had yet to cross.

Vegeta and Bulma had become partially bonded to each other.

* * *

Hours upon hours passed, as the illusion of time was unable to reach the sedated prince. It was already mid-afternoon on Vegetasei as Bardock continued his rounds, keeping Vegeta his priority as he mainly focused on him, letting the other medics pick up his slack and tend to the other injured warriors that managed to get past Nappa and Raditz. The duo were steadfast and uncompromising when it came to _anyone_ wanting to see Vegeta for themselves. The king and queen had gone so far as to award a higher rank to any Saiyan who found their rebellious son and were able to bring him to them. Needless to say, there were many Saiyans wanting to get at Vegeta as soon as he was released from the rejuvenation tank, but after the first few hours, the prince's bodyguards made it clear that _no one _was getting to him.

Bardock glanced over at his youngest son who was entertaining himself by spinning around in his chair. "Kakarot, you're going to get yourself dizzy." he said distractedly, turning his attention to the time displayed on his workstation.

"Too late for that." the good-natured Saiyan laughed as he stopped spinning around, shaking the dizziness off. "How much longer until we can get Vegeta out of there?"

Bardock walked over to Vegeta's tank and pressed a few buttons, gathering the paper that it spat out at him. He brought the reports over to his station and read through them quickly. "Not much longer. The sedation terminated shortly ago. His brainwave pattern remains stable but preliminary reports are displaying his neural signals are starting to fluctuate, which is indicative of consciousness. The data is conclusive."

"Huh?"

Bardock couldn't help but smile a little. "The sedatives are wearing off. He's rested and he'll start to wake up soon enough." he said, making it a little simpler for him. At seeing Kakarot's understanding, he put Vegeta's report down. He re-tightened his red headband as he looked at his son. "Why don't you go check on Bulma again? It's been almost an hour since you last did. See if she's still asleep." he encouraged.

"Sure, why not? I'll be right back." Goku said, placing his fingers to his forehead and teleporting to Earth. As his son went to go check on her, Bardock walked back over to Vegeta's tank, pressing some buttons and reading more data from the small screen. Vegeta was going to awaken soon, probably within the next hour or so. He returned to his desk and grabbed the scouter, paging Raditz.

"Raditz, Vegeta is going to be waking up soon. You and Nappa continue to stand guard outside, even after he wakes up. There are some things he and I need to discuss in private." After hearing his son's response, Bardock frowned and set his scouter back down and began to walk around restlessly. After about another 10 minutes, Goku appeared again.

"She's still asleep." Goku said with a shrug. "Bunny said she hasn't seen her sleep this much in a long time."

"Strange." Bardock commented, remaining silent for a moment as he pondered. Something seemed very…off….but he couldn't quite place what it was. He had this nagging feeling that he was overlooking something, but _what_? He studied Vegeta for the hundredth time, and still couldn't figure out what could possibly be the matter with him. The medic let out a half-hearted sigh. "Well, so much for asking her if she knew what was wrong with him."

"Hey Dad…" was all Goku managed to say, his voice tense as he felt two very strong, familiar energy signals quickly heading their direction.

Bardock looked at him quizzically, seeing the serious frown on his face. He also stretched out his senses, and felt the energy signals also. "Shit! I was hoping I'd get a chance to talk with him before his parents came." Bardock complained, sensing the king and queen approaching the medical ward as his son's apprehensive warning distracted his train of thought. He glanced over at his scouter and saw a rapidly-blinking, single red light. It was too late, as he was trying to be alerted again. "Nappa and Raditz said they might be on their way. They can only detain them for so long."

"Can't we just tell them the truth?" Goku reasoned. "I don't understand why it's so bad to let them know what's going on."

"What _might_ be going on. I don't know for sure yet. Now stick to what we talked about, unless you want Vegeta to kill you when he gets out of his tank. And he will be getting out soon.…" Bardock warned lightly.

"Fine." Goku said reluctantly, discouraged that there was such an effort being made to shield Vegeta from his punishment. It wasn't that he _wanted_ Vegeta to get punished, far from it…but he thought if his parents knew the reason _why _he was always leaving Vegetasei, they might go easier on him.

Then again, they might not.

Goku and Bardock did not have a chance to talk anything else over as the king and queen stormed through the entrance doors. Their auras were intimidating as they honed in on Vegeta. Early on, they had been alerted that their insubordinate son had arrived back on the planet many hours ago, and they had been patiently waiting for a break from their intergalactic meetings to pay him a personal visit. Bardock and Goku bowed down to them in respect as they quickly approached.

"We don't have much time. Get him out of the tank, _now_." the king ground out his order at Bardock as he stood in front of his insubordinate son. The king's arms were crossed firmly across his chest, the tip of his tail snapping in anger as he glared at Vegeta through the tank glass.

Bardock managed a difficult swallow. "Your majesty, with the utmost respect, as the lead medic and personal physician to the prince…I have to advise against doing that."

The enraged glares that he received from the king and queen caused him to second guess his resolve. He practically disobeyed. Bardock managed a difficult swallow. He knew it…he was going to die, or worse, be demoted from his military rank and his medical position. He couldn't believe the things he did for Vegeta.

"Oh? Did he _order you _to keep him in there?" the queen spoke in a deceivingly calm tone. "Because I know you wouldn't obey _him_ over _us_, would you, Bardock?"

"Of course not, your majesties." he replied neutrally.

"Good. Because that would be treason, after all." the king said, turning his attention back to his son. "I would hate to have to deal with a second traitor today."

Alright, so they meant business. Bardock just got himself cornered…he was either going to be forced to get Vegeta out of his tank and hand him over to his parents, or he had to disobey his king and queen's orders and pay one hell of a hefty price for his treason. There _had_ to be a compromise somewhere. Just how in hell was he going to keep Vegeta in there _and_ calm his parents down? They were ready to break him out of the tank and have him cut Vegeta's tail off. He couldn't let that happen. He refused to be the one to do it.

"My king and queen…" Bardock spoke in a softer tone, bringing one arm gently across his torso and giving a slight bow to the royals, "…I advise against taking him out right now. Not because he ordered it, but because I swore to you to keep his life, his health, and his best interests as my priority. It is my duty to ensure that Prince Vegeta remains inside the tank until his treatment has fully completed."

"He's been in there for well over half the day! How injured could he have been? He appears healed now. Shut off the system and remove him from the tank!" the king demanded in a growl. There was no room for negotiation. At hearing this, Goku swiftly moved to stand closer to Vegeta's tank, feeling a threat. A great need to protect Vegeta overcame him, even when it was from his own parents. He would even defy his own king and queen and go against them to protect his prince. It was something he did without a second thought, with no worry about repercussions for himself. Luckily, the king and queen did not notice his passive-aggressive move as they were too busy shooting death glares at his father.

"The Prince was not injured upon his arrival." Bardock said quickly. Vegeta had told him to make up a reason, and he needed one, _fast_, otherwise things were going to go horribly wrong in a minute. He had to give them good enough reason to not only leave their son in the tank, but he had to calm them down and protect him from their rage. His voice turned serious. "Vegeta is…..not well. There could be dire consequences if he is removed during the middle of the programmed cycles." Bardock reluctantly admitted, not knowing if it was true or not.

Hearing this prompted the king and queen to take their attention away from him and place it back on their son. "What do you mean he's not well?" the queen bit out, her tone of voice slightly lacking in anger.

"When he arrived early this morning, he did not have any visible indications of physical trauma upon him. No wounds, no injuries. But he was….unstable. He put himself in the rejuvenation tank." Bardock then paused for effect. "He willingly sedated himself." he finished in an even tone, watching as the king and queen's faces betrayed some sort of worry. It was only for a short moment, as they looked at each other before looking back at him.

"He does not use sedatives." the king said tensely. "You expect us to believe this?" he continued, concern hidden in his skepticism. "How dare you lie to us."

"He's not lying." Goku rang in, feeling nervous as suddenly all eyes were on him. He had to think fast if he wanted to help save him. "Vegeta hasn't been sleeping well…or much at all, as a matter of fact. I would know….I always find him awake late at night and early in the morning. I don't think he sleeps much at all. Not lately."

"Is this true, Bardock?" the king asked, his voice toned down slightly as he searched him for a hint of a lie.

The medic nodded. "The other night when Vegeta was injured, I printed out data from his tank." he said, shuffling through the paperwork at his station, secretly glad he had kept Vegeta's printout. After finding what he was looking for, he pressed the papers out on the table for them to view. "The findings were unexpected. Results showed he had an unstable, erratic ki pattern. This could be the result of many different factors, but in my experience and medical opinion, it indicates that his lack of rest and sleep have been affecting him on a biological level."

"Kakarot, how long has he been without rest or sleep?" he queen demanded, studying him intensely. Goku was a horrible liar, and they would be able to see right through him if he spoke any untruth.

"From what I've seen and felt from him…weeks. Lots of weeks. At least a couple of months." Goku answered honestly.

The king and queen heard no falseness in his answer, felt no misleading in his voice. The king proceeded to pick up the reports and look through them, and after a few tense moments, he glanced up at looked at his son who remained submerged in the healing tank, asleep and uncharacteristically calm. The king frowned, his eyebrows furrowing in veiled concern. Vegeta was almost always awake and alert, even when he was being healed in his tank. It was painfully obvious that his ill-tempered, powerful, rebellious son was sedated. Otherwise, Vegeta would be getting out of the tank right now, either ready to argue with them, or escape their fury by teleporting himself away from them.

Vegeta's uncharacteristic vulnerability unnerved them, and as the king glanced over at his queen, Bardock saw that their rage had subsided significantly. He took advantage of their wavering resolve. "I recommend keeping him in there until treatment has run its full course. His most recent data shows his ki is stable again, and he is almost fully rested."

Surprisingly, this time there was no protest from them.

"How much longer until he awakens?" the queen asked, placing her hands on her hips as she continued to look at Vegeta. The deep-hidden, unsettling worry in her dark eyes looked right back at her through the reflection of the tank glass.

"Soon. Within the next hour or so." Bardock answered cautiously. He felt he could almost breathe again, as the king and queen's energy signal was much more even and stable. He hoped this meant they were not going to cut off his tail anymore.

This time, at least.

"We must return to the conferences. Alert us when he has awakened." the king commanded sternly, leaving things at that. There was much for him and the queen to think over and discuss when it came to their wayward son, but unfortunately they did not have the time right now to do so.

Bardock bowed down. "Of course, your majesties." he said, watching as Goku bowed down to them also. With a meaningful look back at their son, the king and queen left the medical ward to head back to the grand conference room. After they left their sight, Goku leaned heavily against Vegeta's tank, sliding down alongside it as he sat himself down on the floor. He ran a hand through his messy hair as he let out a sigh of relief. "Wow, I can't believe that worked."

"Of course it did, it's the truth. Well…most of it." Bardock murmured, feeling as relieved as Goku did. He stared at Vegeta for a few seconds. He had no idea how close he was from losing his tail. He watched as Vegeta frowned and his closed eyes twitched a couple of times. The prince would be waking up soon.

"Dad, he's not really sick…is he?" Goku asked, looking up at his father, seeing the concerned look on his face.

"Not sure. He might be." Bardock answered with a shrug. "I haven't decided yet." he commented as he walked over to the tank and pressed a few buttons again, getting updated readings on Vegeta's vital stats and neurological readings. He studied them again, mulling over the results. His readings the last hour or so had been interesting. Very interesting.

* * *

The afternoon sunlight attempted to shine through the glass. It was a failed endeavor as the rays remained abandoned behind the balcony doors, closed off from entering her room completely. Stray fragments of dusted light managed to beam through a few breaks between the curtains as they inched over the plush carpet, stretching out, trying to reach the bed where the genius blue-haired woman was sleeping.

Bulma stirred, her beautiful face frowning as she felt herself being dragged forward to alert consciousness. She struggled to pull herself away from the inviting comfort of sleep as she gradually opened her eyes and sighed heavily. Her breath feathered some stray strands of hair away from her eyes as her first thoughts were not on what time it was, or how long she had been asleep, or even what day it was. The first feelings that came to her were of the very man she had tried to escape from.

A deep, suffocating feeling of anger, mixed with heartache, remained with her. She groaned miserably as she pushed her comforter off of her and sat up in bed. She took a deep breath and let it out. Her heart felt just as heavy as it did when her and Vegeta had their falling out. The wound was still fresh. This wasn't supposed to happen. Things were _supposed_ to be better when she woke up. She was _supposed_ to feel better. At the very least, she was supposed to at least feel _rested_. Instead, the reality of it was that everything remained the same. Nothing had changed. Nothing was for the better.

Bulma sensed the upsetting divide between herself and him. She could feel that Vegeta was as troubled as she was. That he was as angry as she was. That he was as torn apart as she was. She was losing her mind, she reasoned. It was all in her head, she convinced herself as she closed her eyes, not wanting to feel what she was currently feeling.

She brought her hands to her eyes, rubbing the drowsiness from them before bringing them up to her forehead. What time was it? She did not care to look over at her alarm clock. Anger caused a lump in her throat as she refused to shed more tears. Keeping her eyes closed for a moment, she attempted to run her hands through her hair, only to get her fingers caught up in the barrettes and diamond-tipped bobby pins of her elegant up-do. Her eyes opened as she glanced down, realizing she was still dressed in her formal gown. Heartache overcame her as she was forced to remember the wonderful night she had with Vegeta. Everything had gone so wonderfully, until the very end.

Their time together…it was something that probably would never happen again.

Bulma had a sudden, strong urge to remain in bed. The thought of hibernating was appealing. The idea of drowning herself in a fathomless, never-ending blackness, void of any consciousness at all was horribly tempting. What she would give to be able to continue to sleep for weeks…or months. No reality. No dreams. No thinking. No _anything_. Just hide herself away from the world, from her work, from her life, from everyone and everything.

From Vegeta.

She frowned in displeasure. That would be nearly impossible. Eventually she would have to see him. Eventually she would have to talk to him. He had made it perfectly clear that he didn't want to see or talk to her unless it was necessary. She grew agitated. How could Vegeta do that?! Their lives revolved around each other…. he couldn't just sever them apart like that, just because he said so! So what, he expected her to talk to him about business and repairs on his machine, and that's it?! Could he really take her out of his life that easily? Could she take him out of hers that easily? How could they ever be okay again? Even if they got past this, things between them were never going to be the same again.

Bulma pushed her heartache deep within and locked it up, refusing to let it overwhelm her again. Keeping her anger at herself and at him close to the surface, she ignored the time on the clock, getting out of bed and heading over to her bathroom to take a shower. She silently hoped the warm, therapeutic water would wash over her and somehow heal the invisible wounds and surprising heartbreak she was trying hard to ignore.

After showering and changing into a pair of black slacks and a cream-colored long-sleeved blouse, she made her way down to the kitchen, where she found her mother sitting at the table, flipping through the pages of a magazine.

"Well, good afternoon sweetheart!" Bunny chirped happily. "I was wondering when you were finally going to wake up!"

Afternoon? Had she slept _that_ long? Bulma glanced at the time displayed on the oven, seeing it was indeed mid-afternoon. She knew she had been exhausted, plus her falling out with Vegeta didn't help either. "Afternoon…" she replied back to her mother in an even tone as she walked over to the coffee machine, seeing a fresh pot of coffee waiting for her. Her mother had impeccable timing, she supposed, as she grabbed a large ceramic coffee mug and poured the hot liquid into it. Bulma then proceeded to start opening up random cabinet doors, looking for something.

"What are you looking for, honey?" Bunny asked. Her daughter remained quiet as she found what she was looking for. She watched as Bulma opened up a bottle of Kahlua liqueur, pouring a generous amount of it into her coffee mug and stirred it around with a spoon. Watching her daughter take a few big gulps, she couldn't help but to give her a smile. "Hungover?"

"No." Bulma answered simply, leaning against the granite countertop as she continued to sip on her alcoholic coffee.

Bunny's playful, cheery attitude continued, oblivious to her daughter's distress. "Well, how was it last night? Did you and Vegeta have a nice time?"

Bulma's demeanor turned dark as her mother asked the very question she did not want to be asked. She tried hard not to let anything show. "I'd rather not talk about it."

Bunny's bright disposition dimmed as she heard an odd tone in Bulma's voice. She placed her magazine down and looked at her more closely. "Honey, are you okay?" she finally noticed that Bulma did not quite seem like herself.

"I'm fine." Bulma said in a cooled tone as she then looked out the window and immediately saw Vegeta's gravity chamber outside. There were no red lights coming from it. And if he meant what he said about never coming back to Earth, then there never would be again. With an aggravated huff, she turned away from the window and walked over to the kitchen island, setting her mug down with a clank. She placed both her hands down on the island, gripping the edges as a wave of distress hit her. It was hard to hide the disturbed look on her face as she tried to reign in her mixed emotions. She was not sure what to feel about anything anymore.

All gladness and cheerfulness was gone from Bunny as her motherly instincts were telling her something was wrong. "Bulma….what's the matter?"

Her mother's gentle, serious tone of concern rang hard through Bulma's heart. For a split second, she felt like breaking down in tears and telling her mother what had happened between her and Vegeta the night before. The fleeting moment of weakness quickly subsided though, as the Saiyan-like woman within her refused to show her emotions to anyone. "Nothing. Nothing is the matter, mom." she said simply, letting go of her grip on the island and picked up her coffee mug, drinking from it again.

Bunny knew it was a lie. She pursed her lips firmly together for a moment, wondering what was wrong. "Well then….how did it go last night?" she asked with veiled caution.

Bulma inwardly shut down, refusing to answer the question. If she stayed in the kitchen any longer, eventually she would break down. She needed leave and be left alone for the time being. "I've wasted half the day sleeping. I've got things to do…" she said, avoiding her mother's question as she began to walk out of the kitchen. She didn't know what she was going to do, but anything was better than talking to her mother about what happened last night. And she wasn't too keen on the idea of going to Vegetasei today either. She had a feeling she was not wanted there…and she didn't know how she would handle seeing Vegeta. Or how he would handle seeing her.

Confusion crossed Bunny's face at seeing her daughter abruptly change the subject, only confirming that something was very wrong. "Goku was here earlier, looking for you." she managed to tell her daughter, trying to get her to talk and open up about whatever was bothering her.

Bulma stopped in her tracks at hearing this. A slight chill of panic hit her. Did Vegeta tell him what had happened? Did Vegeta tell _everyone_ what happened? Did he have a message that Vegeta wanted to give to her? Was he there to teleport her to Vegetasei? Was she needed there? She didn't want to go. "Was he? What for?" she asked, keeping her voice as unemotional as possible.

Bunny gave her a small shrug. "He said he had something to ask you, but each time he came by, you were still asleep." she answered, watching her daughter tense up. "He came by again not too long ago. He had told me to set the coffee pot for you since you would be waking up soon. I guess he was right." she tried to finish off lightly.

"Did he say what he wanted to ask me?"

"No, dear. Only that he would stop by again later today. It seemed like he had to get back to Vegetasei pretty quickly. He didn't even want to eat anything I offered him."

Bulma nodded as she gave her mother a numb look, even though her eyes betrayed her emotions. Goku not eating anything was strange. What was going on over there for Goku to not want to eat anything here at her home? "Don't worry about it. I'm sure he was just busy, that's all."

"It's not _him_ I'm worried about." Bunny said honestly.

Bulma purposely looked away from her mother. "I'm going to be down in my lab if anyone Goku or anyone else comes looking for me." was all she offered her mother, ignoring her concern as she quickly departed from the kitchen before she could try to ask any more questions. She made her way to her laboratory to start working on the blueprints and schematics for Vegeta's new gravity room.

Drowning herself in her work always helped her forget her worries, although this time, she knew it wouldn't. Not when she was supposed to be building Vegeta the ultimate gravity room, so all her thoughts would constantly be on him. Even complex mathematical formulas and calculations couldn't distract her from thoughts of him now. He had given her 6 weeks to complete it. Whether she liked the deadline or not, she knew she would have to work hard and work fast. Not because he demanded it, but because the sooner she built it, the sooner she could get on with what she felt was the rest of her life.

And in a couple of days, that was supposed to be a life with Yamcha.

* * *

The rejuvenation tank beeped, indicating that the programmed healing cycle had been completed. The tank began to purge the fluid down the drain as Vegeta opened his dark eyes. He was feeling drowsy from his many hours of sedated slumber, but he would have to force himself to shake it off. He waited with barely restrained impatience as the fluid finished draining. Bardock had heard the alert and walked over to his tank, pressing a button, unlocking the door and opening it for him.

Vegeta pulled off his breathing mask with distain, roughly tossing it aside as he harshly wiped the thin layer of healing fluid away from his eyes and from his face. He fisted his hands, feeling angry. It didn't work. Nothing was better. His escape into unconsciousness did not help the suffocating ache in his chest. Sure, he felt rested. He was no longer exhausted, but his mind and heart remained deeply troubled as his emotions were still swirling and twisting within him in a tempest that would not be controlled.

He had hoped his anger and heartache would lessen after he awakened. He had hoped that he would feel nothing. Instead, he felt the same….yet something had changed. This unfamiliar feeling lasted for only a moment as he swore that he felt Bulma. Vegeta tried to remain calm as his first instincts were to sense if she was nearby, or even on his planet.

She wasn't.

His face furrowed in irritation. He wasn't sure how to feel about that. He was imagining things, he reasoned, figuring it was an odd side effect of the sedatives. He shook his head slightly, trying to shake it off. And besides, why would she be here anyway? She was supposedly busy, not to mention she had a damned wedding to go through with. It was all for the better, he told himself. She made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with him, and he sure as hell wasn't going to convince her otherwise. Keeping their distance from each other should not be a difficult feat. It wouldn't be an issue on his end, as Vegeta resolved that he was never going back to Earth, for _any_ reason.

He was glad that Bulma wasn't on Vegetasei right now. To have her physically close by, yet be so distant to her was something he wasn't sure he could handle. It would make it more difficult for him to purge her from his heart, which was something he would begin focusing on.

And the sooner the better.

"How are you feeling?" Bardock asked in an cautious tone, having studied the prince very closely for the past few moments. He saw the flicker of emotion in his dark eyes. He could feel his distress.

"Like shit." Vegeta replied, wiping away the thin film of healing fluid away from his arms and chest as he stepped out of the tank. He rolled his neck around, stretching out his tense muscles. "How do you think I feel?"

"I don't know…_you_ tell _me_." Bardock said firmly, eyeing the prince knowingly. "You spent half the day in the tank, and yet your ki is still as disturbed as it was before you entered." he said, analyzing him carefully. He ignored the death glare from Vegeta. "What's wrong, Vegeta?" he asked, demanding some sort of an answer from him this time.

"Nothing is wrong." Vegeta answered back coldly. He was in the tank for half the day? What a waste of time, he thought, disgusted with himself. All of this, and for _what_? Only to emerge and still feel all these sickening emotions that he thought would disappear?

"Bullshit. There _is_ something wrong." Bardock said sternly, stepping in front of Vegeta, giving him his own intimidating look. "You don't just _willingly_ sedate yourself for half the day and then say there is nothing wrong!"

"I don't have to answer to you." Vegeta bit out in a snarl.

"When Nappa and Raditz guard the entrance to the medical bay _all day_ to _prevent_ warriors from getting to you, _even_ when there was a hefty bounty on your head and _even_ when you have gotten them into immense trouble with your disobedience…when Kakarot and I staved off your parents from taking you out of the tank and having your _tail cut off_….when we have done all in our power to _protect_ you, I think we goddamn well _deserve_ an answer from you. Now I will ask you one more time, Vegeta. _What's wrong_?"

"Nothing." Vegeta hissed, his tail lashing around as he started to get pissed off. He didn't have time to deal with this. To answer his question would be admitting there was something wrong. To admit something was wrong would lead to talking about what happened. And Bulma was a subject he did not want to talk about. He didn't want to even think about her. All he wanted to do was take a shower, change into his battle gear, and go find Kakarot. He felt like drawing someone's blood, and his Saiyan rival was always a good punching bag.

Seeing his stubbornness, Bardock had two options. He could either get pissed at Vegeta, or go psychologist on him. The first option would probably cause Vegeta to storm away angry, and he wouldn't get any answers from him. The second option would be more interesting, and he would more than likely get Vegeta to let something slip. He opted for the latter. "Your ki gives you away, you know. After all that time in there you should be rested, but you're as disturbed now as you were when you first entered the tank, which leads me to believe that you are not suffering from exhaustion, but that something traumatizing has happened."

"Mind your damn business, Bardock!" Vegeta snapped, glaring at him as his tail fuzzed up in irritation before wrapping it around his waist securely.

Bardock tried to hide the smile from his lips as he watched the prince curl his tail around his waist. Vegeta was feeling threatened and defensive, he mused. "Ah, so something bad _has_ happened. Only a few things that I know of could cause you to be _this_ riled up."

"I'm warning you, Bardock." Vegeta growled, his threat lingering.

"Let's see here. Going by what Kakarot said, you seemed fine yesterday, besides being angry with him for following you around the galaxy." he began to fish, subtly studying Vegeta's body language to catch a cue on a nerve he might hit.

"Of course. Your idiot son can't seem to understand the concept of minding his own business and leaving me alone, much like yourself!" Vegeta said angrily, beginning to walk away from him and start heading out of the medical bay. Bardock sighed. He sensed no discernable reaction that was out of the norm for Vegeta when it came to his youngest son. Then maybe…

"He also said you and Bulma were at some fancy get-together last night." At hearing this, Vegeta paused abruptly in his stride as he clenched his fists. Oh, that did it right there, Bardock thought to himself, as he felt Vegeta's ki fluctuate and spike up again the same way he had sensed when the prince had first arrived back on the planet.

The anger that flooded Vegeta, as well as the heartache, momentarily silenced him as he visibly tensed at hearing Bardock's last words.

"Vegeta…." Bardock implored, this time his voice much more gentle and full of unease, "…_what happened_?"

Vegeta kept his back turned to Bardock, giving him a stern side-glance over his shoulder. "It doesn't matter anymore." And with that, he began to shut down, unwilling to hear any more questions, and refusing to give out any more answers as he proceeded to walk out of the medical bay.

* * *

So what did you think of this chapter? I hope you liked it!

Sorry if this chapter seemed to jump around too much. I was trying hard to show how much Vegeta and Bulma mirrored each other (hence the title). Now that they are _partially_ bonded to each other and falling apart from each other at the same time, I was hoping you would get the references…such as when he's sedated, she suddenly feels sleepy…they wake up around the same time….they both refuse to answer anyone on what happened…they both shut down and keep their thoughts and emotions and everything to themselves…..etc.

I hope you will leave me a review and tell me what you think! I have to say, writing this chapter was hard for me. I spent so much time on it, I started to feel sad pretty often. Maybe even depressed. It didn't help that I was listening to sad songs while writing this either! I don't consider this a fluff chapter, but it definitely was an odd chapter to write. Probably because I'm so used to writing Vegeta and Bulma interacting together, and now that they are separated it really sucks.

I hope it didn't leave you stressed out like it did to me.

Thanks for reading everyone! Chapter 16 is under construction. Are you still down to ride with me on the rest of this journey? I only have a few more chapters to go until this story ends, so I hope you can keep on hanging in there. It's amazing, I can't believe my short story idea turned into this! It's because of all of you, you know. You guys are awesome! Thank you for continuing to read my story and letting me know your opinions!

I do this for you! Otherwise I would just spend whatever free time I manage to get watching lots of DBZ stuff, or playing WoW, or watching 'The Walking Dead'. I should probably throw in some rest and relaxation in there too someday.


	17. Falling Apart Together

I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter out to you. After I posted the last one, I ran into a dilemma with my story and lost my direction in which way I wanted to take it. My indecision led to a huge writer's block, and I had no inspiration for a long time while I debated on where to take this story next. I was very unhappy with everything I was writing, and I kept deleting everything and trying to start over, because it just didn't _feel_ right.

A few weeks ago I finally decided in which way I'm going to go with my story, and I have decided I will go the long route, which means another 5 to 6 chapters more. After being unhappy with everything I was writing, I decided on trying to write another flashback like I had done on chapter 13, and I just wrote whatever came to me. It turned out to be heaven-sent, because as I wrote the flashback you are about to read, my writer's block finally broke and I found my direction again.

I promised all of you I would finish this story, and I will…..it just sucks that I get hit with writer's block so much. Thank you for your amazing amounts of patience while you wait for my updates. You are wonderful for sticking with me and my story, and I hope by delivering quality chapters that I kinda make up for the long waits. Thank you for continuing to read my story, I love you guys!

Here's the next chapter, and I hope you enjoy it! I think it's the longest chapter of my story so far. It was most definitely a labor of love.

**A/N: **The two sections of this chapter that are in italics (located right at the beginning and right at the end) are flashbacks/memories/backstory. As always, they are important in giving us a window into the wonderfully complex dynamics between our handsome Saiyan prince and our beautiful human scientist.

**Second A/N: **Tick tock goes the clock. Still 2 days until Bulma's wedding…

* * *

**Chapter 16- Falling Apart Together**

_Bulma sighed a large breath of contentment, gently blowing her bangs away from her face. The sand underneath her still felt warm, even through her beach towel, as she lied on her stomach, crossing her arms underneath her chin as she gazed dreamily out over the horizon. The soft crash of the oceanic waves beckoned her in again, promising that the evening did not have to come to an end if she would just come back into the water. She ignored the enticing invitation as she crossed her ankles together and raised her feet behind her, genuinely enjoying the serenity of the moment. There had been nothing but silence between them for the past 15 minutes or so. "Hey, did you fall asleep on me?" _

"_Yes." was the blunt, sarcastic response heard next to her. She turned her head sideways, seeing Vegeta's eyes closed even though he gave away that he was obviously very much awake. He mirrored her position, laying on his stomach alongside her also, minus his feet in the air. "Although sleep is not a bad idea right now." he added as an honest afterthought._

_Sleep sounded good to her also, as Bulma involuntarily let out a small yawn at his response. She reached over to gently nudge her forearm against his elbow before bringing her arm back under her chin. "Guess we should get back to the palace then, huh? The suns are gonna be setting soon."_

"_Hn." was his lackadaisical answer, not really agreeing or disagreeing as he ran his tail slowly through the reddish, warm sand, feeling the most relaxed he had felt in quite a while. _

_Bulma continued to look at him, his calm state a very rare occurrence indeed. She smiled. "You know…." she began, reaching over and managing to run her fingers through the front of his hair that hung over his forehead, "…fringes look good on you." _

"_I'm getting tired of the look myself." Vegeta said, scowling slightly as he reached up, gently pushing her hand away from his face. "The next time you see me, I might not have them anymore."_

_Bulma frowned, her lips pursing in a line as she listened to his last words. Figures he would have to bring up the one thing they were avoiding talking about all day. She shifted her body, moving off her stomach so that she was now lying on her side, facing him. She propped her elbow outward as she rested her head on the back of her hand, and looked at him. She studied him for a moment, wondering what was running through his mind. Probably a couple of the same things she was thinking about. After some contemplation, she figured what the hell. "Are you going to miss me, Vegeta?"_

"_Tch." he scoffed. "Miss you? No." he responded matter-of-factly, trying to hide a smile as he heard Bulma give out a small gasp of surprise, taking offense at his answer._

"_Whatever! You know you are." she responded defiantly, watching as he opened his eyes and turned his head to face her, his dark eyes meeting her blue ones._

_Vegeta shrugged lightly. "I don't know, girl. Two years is a long time. I just might forget who you are." He tried to stifle a smirk as he watched Bulma stick her tongue out at him._

"_You're so full of shit, Vegeta. Like you could ever forget me." She flicked some red sand at him, which he responded to by flicking some back at her with the tip of his tail. She gave him a look. "Seriously, aren't you going to miss me? Even a little bit?"_

"_I am sure that at one point or another I may miss having my hearing damaged by your incessant screeching." Vegeta could not hide his chuckle as Bulma threw a handful of sand at him this time._

"_I swear, I can never get a straight answer from you." she huffed, rolling her eyes as she shifted to lay back down on her stomach again. She crossed her arms underneath her chin, deciding to ignore his lack of an answer to her question. She returned her attention back to the twin suns that were already halfway disappeared beneath Vegetasei's horizon. "Only Kami knows why, but I'm going to miss you, you jerk."_

_The prince remained silent for a few moments before voicing his curiosity. "Are you?" _

_Bulma's gaze remained strong and steadfast toward the sunset. "What kind of a question is that? Of course I am. I won't see you or talk to you for two years. That's a very long time, Vegeta." she murmured her last words, the sadness hitting her again as the reality of it continued to sink in. She had been trying to avoid this since they had been first told, and up until that day, she had pushed it aside. Unfortunately, time yielded for no one, and today had come much sooner for her than she had ever wanted it to. This was their last day together, a day that was quickly coming to an end…and well, the sadness hit her harder than she thought it would._

_Silence hovered between them for what seemed like endless moments, before Vegeta spoke. "Two years will come and go faster than you know it. You'll be busy working with your father and for the company, now that you're done with your education, right?" _

"_Yeah, for the most part…" Bulma trailed off, sighing heavily. She had just turned 20 years old a few months ago and already earned dual doctorates in engineering and mathematics. She was still working on her doctorates in biology, chemistry and medicine. Being a genius was great and all, but trying to find the time to do all this while bouncing between two worlds was a challenge. _

"_Keep yourself busy, and you won't even notice I'm gone." _

"_Pfft. Right, like that's even possible! Although while you're gone I guess I can work on getting my other doctorates. Especially now that you won't be around distracting me anymore." Bulma baited him._

"_I'M the distraction?" Vegeta responded, giving her a look of audacity. "Between the both of us, if anyone is the distraction, it's YOU."_

_Bulma smirked. "Maybe. Maybe not. But I'm sure we can both agree that you and I tend to get more work done when we're apart than when we are together."_

"_As evidenced by our lazy afternoon here on the beach." he muttered._

"_Hey, it beats being stuck inside the palace all day." _

_Vegeta mulled over her words for a moment. "I can agree with that."_

"_You're agreeing? And with ME of all people? Oh my god, it's a miracle." Bulma joked lightly, looking over at him with a playful sparkle in her eye. "I need to mark this down on the calendar. Not that anyone would believe me though."_

_Vegeta gave her a stern look. "Now I'm positive that I am NOT going to miss you." he replied back. Bulma smirked, and they returned their attention back out to the sunsets. They watched as the dual suns were getting closer and closer to sinking completely into the ocean. After another few quiet minutes between them, she broke their silence. _

"_Two years will fly by." Bulma said, trying to reassure herself more than anything. "After all, you get the better end of the deal here." she began, taking one arm out from underneath her chin as she mindlessly began running the tips of her fingers through the sand. "You get to travel the universe and see all these amazing, new worlds and expand the empire. That's exciting." she ended with a wistful, almost envious tone in her voice._

_Vegeta scoffed. "Yes, two years of being caged on a ship, traveling lightyears to worlds I am not familiar with, to be around races I do not know or trust, all for the expansion of our empire." he countered, watching as she drew in the sand. "Right, that sounds very 'exciting'." he ended in veiled sarcasm, letting out a small sigh of aggravation._

"_Oh c'mon, it won't be that bad." Bulma reassured. "Your dad will be handling everything, won't he?"_

"_Like yourself, I have to start being more active with the 'family business'." Vegeta proceeded to close his eyes as a frown returned to his face. "He wants me to take on his role. He wants me to start learning how to negotiate with other worlds and how to rule over our people and run our empire."_

"_Well…..yeah." Bulma said, continuing to guide her fingers lightly over the sand. "I mean, you're going to be taking over someday. Of course you have to know how to do all that." she said in a soft tone, reflecting herself in her words also, since she knew how Vegeta felt. She had to learn the business side of Capsule Corp also, since it was expected of her to take over after her father retired. She would have been content to simply remain an engineer and scientist, but she would be inheriting the business, just like he would someday be inheriting the throne. _

"_You know that I have absolutely no interest in the business and politics of it all. I am a warrior. I train, I fight, and I grow stronger. What good is being the leader of an empire when an enemy can easily overpower you and kill you? I will not sit back idle on a throne and grow weak while someone else gets a chance to get strong enough overthrow my father or myself."_

"_You act as though the universe is out to get you." Bulma murmured as she began to erase her abstract designs in the sand._

"_Who is to say that it isn't?" Vegeta reasoned, mindlessly reaching over with his hand to smooth the sand out for her._

"_Because you're Saiyans. By far one of the strongest races in the universe, if not already the strongest. I doubt there is anyone around stronger than you." she said as she brought her arm back underneath her, content to watch Vegeta undo her artwork._

"_There is always someone stronger. That is why I would rather stay here, or on Earth, and continue to train and become stronger. I will not be able to train the way I need to while I am gone." the prince let out an aggravated sigh as he brought his arm back underneath his chin. "So believe me when I say that two years with my father, traveling the universe, sounds like 'bad' to me."_

_Bulma stayed silent, not knowing how to console him. Vegeta didn't want to go, but he had to. Just like she didn't want to be tied down to Earth and drown in the burden of carrying on the family business, but she had to also. Neither of them were happy about what was happening. Against their wills they were going to be separated for a long time and be forced to walk different paths. These were the lives that they had been born into, pre-ordained for them by their families. Did they ever have a choice? She sighed with a heavy heart. "Alright, well how about this? I'll trade you. Why don't you go back to Earth and help my dad run the company, and I'll stay here and go with your dad to talk with other worlds and get them to join the empire?"_

_Vegeta turned his head to look at her, his eyebrow raised in skepticism. "I think you've had too much sun today."_

_Bulma glanced back over at him. "I'm serious. You can train all you want on Earth, and you can help my dad test out all of his inventions, especially the ones we're making for the military. You'd be the perfect test subject."_

"_And knowing you as well as I do, you would have no qualms at all with traveling the universe, seeing different worlds, meeting new people…and I have no doubt you would successfully get them to give their allegiance to us either." Vegeta commented._

"_Exactly! See, my idea is brilliant! Why don't we do that?"_

"_Because, girl, that would make absolute sense. And because it makes sense, our families will not agree, even though you and I are the only logical ones between the lot."_

_Bulma let out a reluctant chuckle. "Well, unlike yourself, at least I tried to think of way out of this."_

_Vegeta rolled his eyes. "You always have a solution to any problem, don't you?"_

"_It's called being a scientist, Vegeta."_

_He turned his eyes away from her and back to the sunset. "I thought scientists only asked questions. They never have the answers, otherwise there would be nothing to study or experiment on."_

"_Fine! Then it's called being a mathematician, smartass." Bulma responded in a huff._

"_That's more like it." Vegeta responded with an arrogant smirk, earning a dirty look from her._

"_You know what? Forget what I said earlier. I'm NOT going to miss you." she half-joked, turning her head to look over at Vegeta again, who had a smile on his lips. She couldn't help but to smile also at their all-too-familiar banter as she studied him for a moment. She took the time to enjoy his presence, which she would not have around her again for a very long time. She let out a resounding sigh, continuing to rest the side of her face on her arms as she looked at him. "Two years." she said sullenly, breaking the comfortable silence between them as she felt she needed to voice the reality they were now facing._

"_Two years." Vegeta repeated as unhappily as she did, watching one of the suns sink completely beneath the horizon. The second sun would soon follow closely after. Endless moments of silence remained between them as they watched the darkness arrive. The orange glow in the now darkening red sky were from the sunrays trying their best to remain alive as nighttime began to overtake their evening. _

_After much contemplation, Vegeta broke the silence between them. "Yes."_

"_Yes, what?" Bulma asked in confusion._

"_Yes, I will miss you, brat."_

* * *

Vegeta appeared instantly in the grand throne room, the air pressure seeming to change as waves from his disturbed aura suddenly engulfed the area. Those inside the throne room felt his energy and were temporarily stunned into silence upon seeing and sensing the unexpected arrival of the prince. It was eerily quiet for a few moments, so quiet that Vegeta could hear his own heart beating. The silence was deafening. He slowly lowered his fingers from his forehead, the simple motion itself holding some sort of dangerous and unspoken threat. He tilted his head to the left, then to the right….strategically observing his surroundings as he studied everything and everyone in the room in the matter of just a few seconds. He noted there was more than a handful of Elite Royal guards there, including Kakarot, who now stood at attention after hastily bowing to him. They dared not to look him in the eye. He then diverted his attention to his father, mother, and brother, who sat upon their thrones.

The guards and Goku made no motion to leave the room after a few more tense moments, and it became clear that there apparently was going to be a small audience for this. Normally he was a very private person, but going by how he was currently feeling, he did not care right now that others would be witnessing this. Vegeta did not even bother with heading to his quarters to shower and change out of armor. He did not care how he looked, even as the healing fluid dripped off of him and onto the crimson carpet.

The king and queen were momentarily surprised as their wayward son stood before them, awaiting them below the raised steps, looking up at them with distain as they sat upon their thrones. After all, they were expecting Bardock to tell them he was out of the tank, but it seemed he took it upon himself to face them right away without ever being ordered to do so. Tarble sat somewhat uncomfortably in his seat by his mother's side, very worried for his brother. The youngest prince managed a difficult swallow, feeling his brother's energy signal. The king studied his eldest, unsure if the Elite guards would be able to handle his son if he got out of control. Going by the dark aura his son was emitting, he knew it was a wise decision in having Kakarot there also, just in case.

"How nice of you to finally grace us with your presence." the king said, his voice booming in the large, almost empty room. "Your presence was found highly needed yesterday."

Vegeta looked at him with contempt, staying silent for a moment as he considered his next words. "I had more pressing issues at hand." he said tersely.

"Apparently you did, seeing how you willingly disobeyed myself and your father. Did I not warn you yesterday to remain here, at peril of your tail being cut off?" the queen said in a deceptively calm, even tone. A few guards, as well as Tarble, shifted uncomfortably at the thought of having one's tail cut off. It was one of the biggest disgraces a Saiyan could face, next to being defeated by a weaker opponent.

Vegeta narrowed his eyes at his mother, as he clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth, growing increasingly aggravated. "If you recall, I _was_ here, until I was informed of a situation that needed my immediate attention. As a warrior, and as the strongest Saiyan warrior, my training comes first. It always has, and it always will." the prince said sternly, not leaving any room for contestation.

"You are a prince, foremost and above all." the king replied strongly, daring to oppose his words. "That seems to be a fact that you have been forgetting lately. Your training DOES NOT take precedence over your royal obligations, despite what you believe. Yesterday was a very important conference. Believe me, the Icejins did not take kindly to your absence again, especially when they set the time aside to specifically talk with _you_."

Vegeta growled dangerously, crossing his arms across his chest firmly as his tail snapped a few times in anger. "My presence is not _needed_ for the horrendous spectacles that you call 'intergalactic negotiations. Especially with _them_.'" he spat out. "_We_ are the dominant race, _we_ are the strongest and most powerful beings in the universe. We do not have to negotiate with anyone, least of all the Icejins!"

"This was not a negotiation! The Cold Clan is interested in our strength, and they want our protection. In agreement, we will receive numerous planets they have in their possession, and trade for their technology, some of which is even superior to our own! Of course I would not expect _you_ to know this." the queen said in a scathing tone. "If you had been here yesterday, then you would know that! "

"Spare me the political red-tape bullshit!" Vegeta snarled. "The Colds have _nothing_ to offer us at all, besides their money, which we have more than plenty of." he said, uncrossing one arm from his chest and cutting it through the air in blatant frustration. "Do either of you even know _which_ planets they are offering us? Do you?!" he demanded.

The king and queen hesitated for a moment, which gave him even more ground to continue speaking. "Our technology is far superior to _anything_ they claim to have! Have they brought _any_ samples of their supposed 'superior technology' to show us? **Have they?**" At seeing another hesitation from them, Vegeta glared at them, demanding an answer.

"They will show us their technology soon enough…" King Vegeta assured him, only to see his son's indifference at his words as Vegeta scoffed in disgust.

"They haven't, have they? I figured as much." Vegeta muttered with disdain. He took in a breath of agitation and breathed it out sharply, demanding that they listen to him. "You don't know what invisible strings are attached when it comes to dealing with them, contractual agreements or not! No amount of planets or technology are worth risking everything we have built! The Icejins are a powerful race, and the Cold Clan a powerful family. Do not underestimate them. They are manipulative and you are going to find yourself bargaining for more than you expect if we align ourselves with them!"

It was his parents' turn to scoff in disbelief and look down at him in a patronizing way. "Confident words from a prince who refuses to take a serious or active role in his future empire!" the king growled out. "You do not know what you speak of." He paused for a moment after hearing Vegeta's warning growl. "You are never present at the conferences anymore, and I highly doubt you have ever spoken with any members of the Colds! What makes you so sure of all this to begin with?!" he demanded.

Somehow Vegeta managed to restrain the anger that was quickly boiling over within him. "Because, unlike the both of you who are content to stay in the palace all day, complacently sitting in a conference room making deals with other worlds who do not have anything to offer us, I am out there, hearing and seeing what is really going on!" Vegeta countered in defiance. He glared at them coldly. "Do you think that because I am not physically present that I do not know what is going on within our Empire and outside of it?! Despite what you all believe, I read _everything_ that is presented to us. I am very well-educated in the matters of our Empire and the threats that we face, whether **you** are aware of them or not. When it comes to the Icejins, they do not have ground to stand on, and I _**refuse**_ to be part of diplomatic meetings and ridiculous treaties with them or any other races that seek only to take advantage of us!"

"**ENOUGH! **You are the crown prince of Vegetasei, and heir to the Saiyan Empire!" his father said sternly, standing up and towering over his eldest son, his tail snapping in anger as he glared down at him. He reached his limit to his son's defiance and outright disrespect of their intelligence as he criticized the direction that they were trying to take their empire in.

His mother followed suit, standing up and towering over Vegeta also. "Your father is right. Enough is enough, Vegeta! It is your duty to be part of such conferences and to establish amicable relations with other races and continue to grow our empire, whether you like it or not! And you _will_ be around from now on." the queen said in a threatening tone.

Vegeta couldn't help but to smirk and respond with defiant mirth. "Really? Is that so? And how _exactly_ are you going to make me stay here, when I can teleport to anywhere I please?!"

"You are not a cub anymore, Vegeta! You are an adult, and you are being reckless by disappearing off to wherever you go, without Kakarot, Nappa, or Raditz by your side." the king ground out in frustration, slowly taking a few steps down the stairs towards his insubordinate son. "Continue to disregard your royal responsibilities and duties to your people and your future empire, and I will make sure you remain grounded here on Vegetasei until you snap out of whatever rebellion you are going through!"

Vegeta didn't appreciate the threats as he growled deeply in a feral warning. "_You can't make me do anything_." he snarled as his tail lashed out behind him.

His continued defiance made the king even more angry. His father decided to ignore his son's outburst and hand down his punishment. "You are to join us tomorrow, and from here on out, for each and every conference. This is NOT negotiable. Leave the planet at any time, _especially_ during the meetings, even _once_, for a _single second_, and I will have Kakarot fetch you and keep bringing you back here as many times as it takes until you obey us."

Upon hearing the word 'obey', Vegeta uncrossed his arms, his anger finally boiling over. He clenched his hands into fists, his tail frizzing up as he made no attempt to restrict his temper. He raised his hand, pointing a dire warning to his father. "Try to keep me caged in that fucking room, and I will kill _everyone_ inside it."

"Even if Bulma is in there also?" his mother threw in, as her eyes blazed with challenge for her son to keep his threat. They all knew he would not hurt or kill her. He would even refrain from killing anyone else if she was around him.

At hearing her name, Vegeta visibly stiffened. He had been caught off-guard by those unexpected words. His tail continued to snap back and forth as he continued to clench his fists, taking no note or realization of how rapidly his power level spiked and was growing as he was overcome with barely restrained rage. "Why would _she_ be in there?" he managed to mutter through clenched teeth.

"The Icejins are returning here in a few months for another conference, to which _you_ will be attending. Bulma was asked to be present also, as she was specifically asked for by name..." the king answered, beginning to become weary of Vegeta's demeanor as all their scouters began to blip quickly from his rapidly rising power level.

"_Who_ asked for her?!" Vegeta demanded angrily.

"Freeza. One of King Cold's sons." the queen answered him carefully, eyeing him with trepidation as the dark, suffocating aura the prince had around him when he first arrived in the room seemingly returned.

Vegeta's insubordinate mood seemed to abruptly change upon this revelation. That was all he needed to hear. He knew the chance meeting with Zarbon last night at the meteor shower event was no coincidence. Especially when Zarbon turned down the opportunity to fight him. The blue lizard had been dancing and talking to Bulma, and he felt like kicking himself in the balls for not asking her what they had talked about. All he knew was that Zarbon was Freeza's right-hand man, and if Freeza asked about Bulma, it was only because of him. Fury overcame him.

Why the interest in her? What the hell did they want with her?!

"Vegeta!" Goku warned in an alarmed tone, taking a couple of step towards the prince in hopes to try to calm him down. But it was too late, as all their scouters exploded from being overloaded by Vegeta's rapidly growing energy as the prince yelled out in anger, his body now engulfed in his purplish aura. A few shouts of surprise and concern rang throughout the throne room as everyone tore what remained of their smoking, damaged scouters off of their heads and tossed them to the floor, unbelieving of the numbers that scrolled across their screens as they looked at the prince with a renewed sense of respect and fear.

Vegeta remained standing, his aura pulsating calmly, even though he was torn apart on the inside. Hearing Bulma's name hurt him so. Anger at her, coupled with heartache resonated through him-but more importantly, a great need to still protect her had overtaken him. No one would know that a chilling wave of panic hit him. If the Icejins wanted him _and_ her there, it only meant that they were in some sort of danger. Things, it seemed, were just going from bad to worse. He was confident he could hold his own against anyone,-but Bulma…

"I do not want her there." Vegeta said icily, glaring up at them with brazen, dark eyes as something snapped within him. His aura began to pulsate more rapidly as he saw that his parents were about to oppose his words. He quickly raised a bare hand, palm side up, summoning a large ball of energy as a warning. The aggressive move unnerved some of the guards and even fazed Goku, who was weary of what he was up to. He wasn't sure if Vegeta was threatening his parents, or trying to make a point, or what, but he was the only one brave to take a few more steps toward him in hopes to calm him down.

Vegeta eyed some of the guards, his attention tuned primarily towards Goku, who was apprehensively standing nearby, visibly cautious about approaching him any further. "The Icejins want me to be there? Fine." the prince began rather calmly as he threw more of his power into the ball of energy, making it grow larger. He then looked at his parents. "_You_ want me to be here? Fine." he continued, glancing at the impressive yet terrifying display of power he currently held in his hand. At the moment even _he_ could draw no satisfaction from seeing their alarmed and shocked looks.

The volatile prince remained quiet for a few short moments as he contemplated his next words on the matter. "Understand this. When the Icejins arrive, I will be at the meeting. They can speak to _me_, but _not her_." and with that, Vegeta looked back up at his parents, daring them to challenge him. "I **refuse** to have Bulma be a part of whatever they are up to. She **is not **to be on Vegetasei while they are here. And _**if**_ I am disobeyed and she is brought to the conference-I will sure as hell grab her, teleport her off Vegetasei to safety, then I will return to kill the Colds, their entire entourage, and whoever **dared** to defy me by bringing her there." he shot everyone a lethal glare. "And that is a promise."

The room was deathly silent, as his agreement and his threat lingered. Vegeta awaited opposition, and after receiving none from his parents or from Goku, the dark prince let the deadly energy in his palm dissipate as he returned the energy to his body. Everyone inwardly sighed in relief at seeing him do so. Meanwhile, the king and queen looked at each other for a moment, concern clearly evident on their faces. Since when did Vegeta become so strong?! The reminder that he was indeed the strongest Saiyan warrior had been made perfectly clear to everyone, even to them.

The queen gave a look and nodded to the king, who then turned his attention back to his unruly son. It seemed Vegeta conditionally agreed to the terms of his punishment, save his one 'request'. "Those are acceptable terms, Vegeta. You remain on the planet. She will not be here when the Icejins arrive." his father granted his demand. There were very few things, if any, that their son was so passionate about. One, was his pride. Second was his training and desire to become stronger. The third was his protectiveness over Bulma. Although they could argue with him about the first and second topics, the third had always been non-negotiable.

"Good." Vegeta said sternly, abruptly turning away from his parents now that it was settled. He turned and saw Goku studying him, a concerned look evident on his face as he looked like he was trying to figure something out. It was the same damned look that Bardock had been giving him earlier. "Kakarot!" he barked out, startling Goku.

"Yeah?" Goku asked, as he was snapped out of his distracted thoughts.

"Follow me." Vegeta ordered, as he began storming out of the throne room. With that simple command, Goku hurried to catch up to him, following him to wherever they were apparently going.

As Vegeta and Goku exited the throne room, they left behind a king, a queen, and a handful of Elite guards with the sense that they saw only a fraction of the prince's true power.

A great power that he easily wielded-and restrained-in order to protect the one person he cared about.

* * *

Nappa and Raditz had arrived to the throne room too late, after they sensed Vegeta's strong, yet uneasy energy signal move instantaneously from the medical ward to the throne room. Adding another frustration to their already long list of grievances against him, they hurried to the throne room, but the doors had already been shut and no one was allowed in or out. Sighing in frustration, the duo placed their ears against the doors and for the most part were able to hear what was being said inside.

While Nappa listened, he couldn't help but be concerned for Vegeta. He had always had a good read on the prince…after all, he had helped care for him and raise him since he was a cub. Nothing was good about whatever the hell was going on. There was an angered king and queen at their son. It did not help that the royal couple were also displeased with himself, Raditz, and Kakarot, who happened to be inside the throne room. And how could the king and queen _not_ be angry with them? They were Vegeta's bodyguards, sworn to protect him from anyone and anything...even if they had to protect him from himself. Nappa frowned. There had been a bounty on the prince's head, which would have yielded a missing royal tail if they had let anyone get to him. Vegeta was disturbed enough to have sedated himself willingly, which was also a great cause for his worry. The younger Saiyan had tensed at sensing Vegeta's power level as it rose alarmingly quickly, and well….he had enough worry for both of them, Nappa figured, as he looked over at Raditz.

Raditz fisted his hands, equally torn between wanting to yell at Vegeta for all the shit they had to deal with because of him, and torn between wanting to rake him over the coals to find out just _what in the world _was going on with him. He couldn't get any answers from his father or from his brother earlier, which was horribly frustrating since Goku couldn't keep many things to himself to begin with. Needless to say, he felt Vegeta's energy skyrocketing to a dangerous level and Raditz was compelled to burst in there, worried that maybe the prince was being hurt somehow. Nappa's strong, reassuring hand on his shoulder kept him from doing exactly that. Reluctantly they kept their ears to the door, overhearing Vegeta's command, and they looked over at each other, knowing something else much more serious was really going on.

Raditz wasn't sure how he was going to react when he would finally see Vegeta, but as the prince thundered out of the throne room, he found his answer. There was something very off about Vegeta, and the instinct to protect him came forward as he momentarily ignored his anger and gripes over him. He could not explain it. Vegeta was physically fine. He was not injured, and he was back home safe on the planet. Yet, what was wrong with his energy signal? Something was surely the matter with him. Did Nappa feel it also? He gave a confused glance at Nappa, who also reflected the same puzzled look.

Vegeta sorely met his bodyguards as he exited the throne room,, glaring at them for a moment. He wiped away more of the thin healing fluid that was slowly running down his face as he looked at them disdainfully. He didn't have to say anything at the moment, for his aura was clear as day. He was on lockdown, and they were officially his prison wardens. "Well, come on!" the prince snapped as he began to walk off away from them. Nappa and Raditz and Goku each gave each other a look of reluctance before following after him.

"Where are you going?" Nappa dared to ask, knowing that asking about his personal agenda was going to be even more of a sore subject now.

"Where does it look like?! To my chambers to shower and change." Vegeta snarled, ignoring the royal guards that patrolled the palace bowing to him as he quickly made his way to his quarters. The four of them remained quiet throughout the rest of the way until they reached the prince's quarters, and after everyone was inside the common room, the prince shut the door behind them and turned around and looked at them sternly.

"I need to train. Seeing how my gravity room was destroyed…" Vegeta said, glaring at Goku, having not forgotten what he had done to it. Goku gave a uneasy chuckle as he rubbed the back of his head, nervously remembering that Vegeta had threatened to cut off his tail over it. The prince shook his head, ignoring the issue since there were more pressing ones at hand. "Every waking minute that I am not at those infernal meetings, we are to be training and sparring, is that understood? You will come at me with everything you have. I need to become as strong as I can before the Colds arrive."

"But why don't you just train in the one back at Bulma's?" Goku asked, quickly snapping his mouth shut at seeing the dark look on Vegeta's face. Before he could answer, Raditz cut in.

"I swear Kakarot, you must have suffered brain damage when you were dropped on your head! He's been forbidden to leave the planet! Weren't you listening in there?! Hell, even I heard that from outside the doors!"

"Oh yeah…" Goku said sheepishly, giving Vegeta an apologetic look. "Sorry."

Vegeta was about to speak, when he was cut off. "He can still go…" Nappa began, willing to defy the king and queen's orders. "…he needs to train. We can cover for him, right Raditz?"

"I don't think that's a good idea." Raditz answered back.

"How come?" Goku asked, not seeing a problem with it.

"Because…" Raditz began, "…others will sense that he is not around. You heard what the king and queen said. He isn't supposed to leave off-planet, even for a second. We can try to cover his absence, but just because we will cover for him, it doesn't mean everyone else will."

"You're right." Nappa stated. "Which means we'll have to figure out a plan to have him train on Earth when no one will be looking for him here. How about at night?" The trio continued to discuss how to keep Vegeta's disappearances from his parents, oblivious to his growing anger.

"Enough!" Vegeta suddenly snapped. "I am not going _anywhere_, above all Earth! I am _never_ going back there, do you hear me?!" he growled, stunning them into temporary silence.

Nappa, Raditz, and Goku looked at each other uneasily for a moment. "Vegeta?" Goku asked, highly concerned over the words that he just said. "What do you mean you're _never_ going back?"

"Exactly what I said." Vegeta said coldly. "Don't bother asking me why, because I will not tell you." he said with absolute finality, effectively ending the sore subject. He then turned to Nappa and Raditz, healing fluid dripping onto the floor as his tail snapped a few times in irritation. "Get into your battle armor and meet me outside in half an hour." he ordered them, giving them no room to ask him anything. "Kakarot, stay here. I need to speak with you."

Nappa and Raditz proceeded to bow to him, obeying his order and keeping eerily quiet as they left his quarters. As they each headed to their personal chambers to change into their battle gear, they were conflicted. On one hand they should have been glad that Vegeta wasn't going to be taking off anywhere for awhile. They had been spending many years, more so the past few months, trying to keep an eye on him, trying to protect him in case there were any threats to him, and failing horribly as he constantly teleported away to who knew where, without ever telling them where he was going, or who he was with, or what he was up to. Now that he would be home, they wouldn't be reprimanded for failing to do their job in guarding him.

But honestly, the fact that he would be around more did not bring them a sense of relief. On the other hand, Vegeta was willingly confining himself to the planet and temporarily giving up his freedom. He was willing to end his rebellion and defiance, but for what? Not for his parents, they knew, since he had showed them he could very well do what he pleased. Not for them, because he had made it more than perfectly clear that he did not need bodyguards.

Vegeta agreed to not leave the planet and he would fulfill his royal obligations based on the premise that Bulma would not be around when the Icejins arrived.

Staying on the planet was not going to help Vegeta either; he didn't have a functioning gravity room here, and he could not travel to Earth. Then again, he had said he was never going back to Earth, and that in itself was alarming.

Their worry grew. Vegeta's life energy had also changed, somehow. He was doing this for her, and he seemed to know something that he was not telling anyone when it came to the Icejins. All they knew was that he needed to get stronger, and they would help him however they could.

Goku remained in the room as his brother and Nappa left, leaving him alone to deal with the surly Saiyan prince. He did not fear anything though as he continued to study him. His face betrayed his concern, as he felt out Vegeta's energy signal. Something was _very_ off about it, and he couldn't pinpoint what was different about it. Before he could think more on the subject, he saw Vegeta's dark glare.

"Kakarot, I want you to go to Earth and tell the woman that six weeks will not work anymore. I need the new gravity room completed as soon as possible. I also want you to find out what she and Zarbon spoke about last night."

Goku nodded, the disturbed look still on his face. "No problem. Anything else you want me to tell her?"

Vegeta wanted to tell her a hundred things. A thousand things.

"No, nothing at all." he muttered after a moment, using the back of his hand to wipe away more of the healing fluid that was slowly dripping down his forehead. "And while you're there, get as many senzu beans as possible. Tell the cat to grow more, because we will be needing many of them for the next few months."

"Sure, Vegeta. I'll be happy to do that for you." Goku replied, bowing down slightly, as the prince nodded his head in acknowledgement. Vegeta then walked from the common room into his own personal chambers, closing the door behind him. He didn't take long to disrobe, quickly kicking his boots off and tearing his bodysuit off of him, heading into his bathroom for a much needed shower and change of armor.

Goku let out a heavy sigh. He wondered if his father felt that oddity in Vegeta's ki also, like he had been currently sensing. Maybe Vegeta really _was_ sick? He made a mental note that he would have to stop by the medical ward to talk to his father when he came back from his assignment on Earth. There were just too many questions, and the prince offered absolutely no answers. Goku placed two fingers on his forehead, and focused on Bulma's ki. He figured she was probably awake by now. Maybe she knew what was going on?

His timing would prove to be horrible as he instantly teleported himself to her.

* * *

Bulma sighed with a heavy heart as she flipped her purple mechanical pencil over and erased a part of her formula that was wrong. She drummed the pencil on the workbench a few times, holding the side of her head with her other hand as she mulled over her calculations, trying to find the exact area where she had messed up. This particular formula she was working on was going to probably be her biggest challenge, since she wasn't sure how high Vegeta wanted the gravity to go, and it wasn't like she could ask him.

Well, she _could_, but she really didn't want to.

So she was left with trying to figure this out on her own. A thousand times Earth's gravity sounded like more than enough to her, but from the data she gathered while she was on Vegetasei, he was already very comfortable between 375 and 400G's. Perhaps 1,000G's wouldn't last as long as she would hope, not by the rate at which he could withstand higher forces. Could the new gravity room sustain 1,500 or even 2,000 times Earth's gravity? Could the materials she bought even withstand such strenuous conditions? When she had purchased them on Xyneon, she had the 1000G mark in her mind, but now she worried that she might have made a mistake. Could she even build a power core strong enough to withstand such forces to begin with, and a chamber that could compensate for his great gains in strength and power if he ever reached those extreme levels?

"Kami, how am I _ever_ going to do this?" she murmured softly to herself as she placed her pencil down and reclined back heavily in her chair to take a short break. She tried to avoid her non-business thoughts about Vegeta and focused solely on the job she promised to do. She spent the later part of the afternoon in her lab, trying to catch up on the time she wasted sleeping half the day way by drowning herself in endless mathematical formulas and complex equations. She ran her hands over her face and upwards through her blue hair as she sighed again. Having a strict deadline hovering over her did not help anything at all.

"Ok girl, you can do this. You're a freakin' genius! If anyone in the universe can do this, it's you. Just take what you've already built, and what you already know, and bring it to a whole new level." Bulma coached herself, grabbing her mechanical pencil again and scooted closer to her workbench. She re-focused herself. She needed to completely revamp the way she designed the gravity room. Having the power core in the middle of the room took up a lot of space and looking back on it, had never been a practical place to put it. Something _that_ vital to the gravity room being so blatantly out there in the open-while Vegeta tossed around insanely powerful blasts of energy-was only asking for damage and constant repairs, as history proved. Bulma continued to work on her gravity formula as she thought more about this. Perhaps Vegeta would prefer an open-floor plan. One large room, where he could move around freely and not have to be concerned with damaging the center construct.

She loved the idea. If she did that, then she would have to figure out where to put the power core. She crossed one leg over the other, mindlessly tapping the edge of her foot against the leg of the workbench as she thought about it. Putting the power core on the roof seemed horribly inefficient. Besides, who knew…a freak meteor shower could rain down upon Vegetasei and destroy the core. Then again, a meteor shower would probably damage the whole gravity room if it was out in the open. Maybe she could put the power core underneath the gravity room? The flooring was usually the last thing to ever get damaged. She smiled. That seemed like a good idea. Maybe she could build a massively large gravity room completely underground, that way it was protected from outside natural forces. She bet she could make it earthquake and flood proof also.

Yes, building it underground would work. The ground was much cooler and would dissipate the heat better from the power lines and piping than if they were outdoors, baking in the added heat emitted from the twin suns. Plus, she could run the power lines to connect to the energy grid over much of Vegetasei. A beautiful smile crossed her face. That would be amazing, to have ki power the entire planet at night, while solar power ran Vegetasei during the day. It would most definitely put less strain on the grid. She was a damn genius! And with the super-secret, extra special materials she purchased from Riko that he gave her exclusive access too, she would be able to do just that. Instead of the gravity room walls reflecting all of Vegeta's attacks, she could design them to absorb the energy instead and program the room to divert the energy to the power grid for storage to draw from at night. Actually, she could make Vegeta powerful bots with the same materials and have them absorb his attacks and possibly throw his very own power right back at him. He always complained about how weak the bots were and how easily he broke them, so instead of having them generate their own power, she could design them to temporarily absorb extremely high amounts of energy, and get the bots to attack Vegeta back with his very own moves! It would significantly increase his training and give him a real challenge.

In the excitement of her ideas, Bulma realized she made another mistake with her formula, and she hurriedly erased her error. She continued to work on her calculations, and went back to thinking. With such a large training room, Vegeta could bring in quite a few others for training and sparring with him. If that happened, she decided she would have to make the gravity room voice-activated. Maybe get the room to sense and recognize Vegeta's ki and other individual ki signals and get the bots to automatically adjust themselves to their individual power levels? That was definitely an interesting idea to explore. She thought it would also be nice if the room could change weather conditions at random also, if programmed to do so, much like the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Then Vegeta could train in extreme cold or extreme heat, and in any other turbulent weather condition he could think of. Except for water….she didn't think she could let the room fill up with water. He would have to train in the ocean or search out storms if he wanted to do that. No way in hell would she let him flood the room with water and let him somehow electrocute himself. If she could program the room to provide various weather conditions, then it could monitor his vitals also and end a program if he pushed himself too far. She would be forced to have it do that, since she anticipated that repairs to his room would be minimal.

All of these were amazing ideas, and Bulma quickly jotted all them down alongside her mathematical formulas as she thought of them. She told Vegeta she would bring his gravity room to a whole new level, and if her ideas were any indication, she was going to go above and beyond what he probably expected. Bulma grabbed the schematics and blueprints she had been working on earlier and tore them into shreds, tossing them in the trash. They were now completely useless. She glanced over her notes, feeling a small sense of happiness. His new gravity room was going to be her crown achievement and the very best of her genius.

Vegeta would be highly pleased with her ideas. He would love his new gravity room once it was completed. He probably won't tell her that, though. Or even thank her, especially after what happened between them. Hell, the way she was feeling, she couldn't even _talk_ to Vegeta about anything. Her heart sank. She just had to ruin her thoughts by thinking of him. For a few minutes she completely ignored the divide between them as her mind exploded in new, revolutionary ideas for his gravity chamber. Bulma let out a breathy sigh, wondering if she would even be able to pull off her crazy, amazing ideas. She knew she was probably going to have to borrow Riko for a day or two when she had her calculations and schematics ready, so he could look them over. A fresh pair of engineering eyes would help out a lot. Her dad could look them over also. Besides those two, she had no one else to talk to about it, because no one else would understand.

And she had an angry Saiyan prince who didn't want her talking to him unless it was important.

Feeling depressed again, Bulma grabbed some fresh diagram sheets and began drawing her schematics for her new plan for his gravity room, trying to bury her heartache deep within her and focus on work. She decided she would draw some semi-schematics after she got the basic groundwork of the vessels, piping, valves, wiring, circuitry, and other equipment of the gravity system down. Their interconnecting paths had to be perfect before she could bring more of the physical aspects into play. She would have to take a look at all the materials again, probably while Riko was with her, to determine what metals were good for what. Besides, even if she talked to Vegeta strictly about his gravity room, he wouldn't be interested in this step of the technical and mathematical process anyway. All he would care about is the end result. She supposed he had always been that way though. Seeing she had drawn an incorrect line, Bulma frowned and erased her mistake.

She was having trouble concentrating as she couldn't help but to think about her and Vegeta. How could they fix what had happened between them the previous night? How could they ever take back what they had said to each other? Did he even _want_ to fix things? Did he even regret _anything_ he said to her? Was she really a mistake? Was he never coming back to Earth like he said? Would he forbid her from ever stepping foot on Vegetasei again? Could he do that to her?! Would anyone _let him _do that to her?! He wouldn't do that, would he?! Could he really remove her from his life? Could she handle it? Would she be able to live her life without him? Bulma sighed in unbelievable frustration. Just what in the hell was wrong with her?! Why in the world did she call it a fling?! Why was she so scared to be in love with Vegeta? How could _she_ be scared of _anything_? It wasn't how she was raised!

She huffed, groaning miserably. How could she think straight when a hundred worries were running through her troubled mind? And what exactly did Goku want to ask her? Was he going to come back later today like her mom said? Did he need to take her to Vegetasei for some reason? What if Goku knew what happened between them last night? What if _everyone_ knew? And what about Yamcha? Should she even tell him what happened? He would be absolutely enraged. Maybe she shouldn't tell him. But what if he already knew?! He will try to kill Vegeta. Then again, after last night, if Vegeta never stepped foot back on Earth like he said, then she supposed she had nothing to worry about. If they weren't going to be around each other anymore, they would never fight again.

Unless Yamcha was so mad that he made Goku teleport him to Vegetasei. That would be bad. Very bad. To step on his territory unwelcome like that, it wouldn't bode well for him. If Vegeta didn't kill him, no doubt Nappa and Raditz would. Come to think of it, any of the Elites or Royal guards would kill Yamcha without hesitation if he threatened Vegeta like that. Besides, she wasn't even sure Yamcha could handle the enhanced gravity there. It was 10 times that of Earth. He'd be flattened to the ground before he could even take a step.

She needed to tell Goku not to teleport Yamcha to Vegetasei. Ever.

Bulma growled a bit as she made _another_ mistake on the schematic, and erased it. At this rate she would have the schematics and blueprints done by next year. Not to mention her complex mathematical formulas were no where close to being done either. Vegeta would be so pissed if she didn't meet the deadline. Then again, what the hell was he going to do about it? Come to Earth and yell at her and demand that she hurry up? He said he was _never_ coming back, so maybe she found some sort of loophole in their agreement? Then again Vegeta could get so angry that he makes an exception and teleports there to kidnap her and take her back to Vegetasei to force her to finish his gravity room there. She frowned. Hell, if he did that, then she _definitely_ wouldn't do shit for him, not if he was going to act that way! She wouldn't let him treat her like that!

Another mistake made, and Bulma sighed in frustration, erasing part of her work as she started to feel angry. How could she work when her mind was drowning in so many thoughts that were pulling her every which way she could imagine? What she decided she needed was some more alcohol, because all this thinking was clouding her mind. But, before she could stand up from her seat, a strong hand grabbed her shoulder and her chair was spun around.

She was caught off-guard as she looked upward into a pair of very familiar dark eyes.

* * *

"Yamcha?" Bulma blurted in surprise, wondering how in hell she didn't even hear him enter her lab. How long had he been in there with her?

"Hey babe.." he said somewhat timidly, not sure what his standing was with her after the last time they saw each other. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

Bulma continued to look up at him oddly for a moment, before regaining her voice. "It's okay, I was just….lost in thought."

Yamcha searched her beautiful blue eyes, and what he was looking for, she didn't know. "Are you busy?" he asked her.

"No, I'm not…" Bulma awkwardly reassured, as she looked away from his analytical gaze and turned attention to his body. The last time she had seen Yamcha he had been a bloody, bruised, broken man on the verge of dying. Now here he was in front of her, in perfectly fine health. It was strange to see him actually okay when her last image of him was gruesome, to say the least.

"Are you sure? You look busy." he told her, peering over behind her and seeing lots of messy paperwork and scientific calculators all over her desk.

"Well…I'm…" Bulma began, hesitating before shaking her head a bit. "…no, I'm not busy. Just working on something…but I have some time. It's not due right away."

Another awkward silence fell between them, and she just did not know what else to say to him. She knew she was going to have to talk to him, and honestly she wasn't sure why she thought she had time to do it later. They were getting married the day after next. Did she somehow expect not to see him until they were literally at the altar? "What…what are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you." Yamcha said simply, as he pulled another chair over to them and turned it around, sitting down on it backwards. He casually leaned his arms over the top of the chair, and looked at her softly. Sometimes he forgot how beautiful Bulma was. He failed to see any fire in her eyes earlier, and he was inwardly relieved. She did not seem angry with him, despite how their last fight left them on bad terms. Maybe their talk would go over better than he thought it would.

Unfortunately for him, the lack of fire in her eyes should have been a sign.

Bulma nodded, taking in a deep breath and letting it out gently. "Yeah, we need to talk." she agreed with him. More quiet moments passed between them, as neither one of them knew where to start. She decided to try to say something first. "I'm glad you're okay. They got you senzu beans in time."

This was a positive start. He thought the first thing she would talk to him about was where they had left off at. "Yeah. If it had been too much longer, I probably wouldn't be here right now." Yamcha said in a soft tone, expecting some sympathy from her.

"Vegeta beat you up pretty badly." Bulma began, although it pained her to say his name outloud. Her voice did not waiver though, as she sounded very factual. She did not rub it in his face, or try to make him feel bad about it. "Honestly, Yamcha, it's a miracle he didn't kill you. He could have killed you."

"So I've been told." Yamcha let out an irritated huff as he leaned forward in his chair, crossing his arms over the top of it. He looked away from her gaze, trying to stare at some other random thing in the lab. He wanted to keep their talk as adult and reasonable as possible, but that would prove to be more difficult than he thought. "Let me guess, you're going to say that he should have?"

Bulma frowned. "Of course not, Yamcha! How can you ask me that?"

Yamcha stayed silent for a moment, genuinely surprised that she did not side with Vegeta. He half-expected her to go off on a rant about how he instigated it and that the Saiyan would have been justified in killing him.

Bulma crossed her arms underneath her bosom in a sheltered manner. "Just…." sighed, not knowing where to begin. "…_what_ the hell were you two fighting over?"

"I don't know." Yamcha answered in veiled frustration, running a single hand through his long dark hair. "We fight over nothing. And everything." he paused for a short moment, hesitating in elaborating any further. "Over you." he reluctantly admitted, knowing he had to say it if he was ever going to get down to the real underlying issue he had against Vegeta.

"Me?" Bulma said incredulously, somewhat stunned at hearing this. She looked at Yamcha, trying to gauge if he was being serious or not. "Why?" She immediately thought about what her mother had told her the other night. Her mom had been thoroughly convinced that their constant bickering and fighting was over her. She had dismissed the very idea at the time, not seeing how it was possible.

Yamcha shrugged. "I don't know, babe. Look, last night I called as soon as I got out of practice to talk to you. He wouldn't _let_ me talk to you. Then I came by, and you and I started arguing, and he just _had_ to interfere, just like he always does….." he began, starting to get mad again as he recalled his emotions from the previous night and took a moment to breathe, trying to reign his temper in. "And then I grabbed you…. then he punched me, and we starting fighting-and it's like I _**don't know **_what came over me." Yamcha continued to ramble. "I don't know what came over _**him**_! I was just **so** angry and so was **he**, and we weren't really fighting over the phone call or anything, it's just…." he trailed off, visibly frustrated at not being able to voice what he was feeling.

Bulma frowned in unease as she listened to Yamcha's side of the story, even though she never cared to ask Vegeta for his. It only served to remind her that she had been more concerned last night over his well-being than over her own fiancée's. Her heart continued to beat in an indescribable ache as they spoke about the one person she could not take her mind off of. "I'm guessing you don't know what you did?" she asked him simply.

Yamcha narrowed his eyes in confusion. "What did I do?"

Bulma pursed her lips, looking away from him. He obviously did not know what she was talking about "You gave me a pretty big bruise on my arm when you grabbed me. I won't lie, it hurt, but I know you didn't do it on purpose."

At hearing her words, Yamcha turned to her with an alarmed look on his face. "I did _what_?" he said as his eyes shot to her arm, expecting to see the bruise, but her arm was covered up by her long-sleeved shirt.

Bulma rolled her sleeve up, showing him that her arm was just fine. "It's healed now. Bardock put some healing salve on it yesterday." she said with indifference.

He sighed. "Babe, I'm sorry…I didn't mean to. I guess I just don't realize my own strength." Yamcha said apologetically as he dropped his head down between his arms as they remained outstretched over the top of the chair. After a moment he raised his head and looked at her, unable to read the look on her face. "And _that's_ why he punched me…." he trailed off in realization, now understanding why Vegeta had been the first to throw a blow at him.

Bulma tilted her head a bit, watching herself roll her sleeve back down over her arm. She avoided his gaze as she heard him inadvertently give her an excuse as to how he had hurt her. Vegeta was unbelievably stronger than Yamcha was, yet even at the heights of his anger at here, never once physically hurt her….not even last night as they began to fall apart from each other. The sting in her heart made her wince. She cleared her throat gently as her emotions threatened to choke her. "You know he's very protective of me. I know you don't like that, but he's _always_ been like that with me, ever since I can remember."

"Yeah, I know." Yamcha reluctantly murmured. "We're _all_ very protective of you. I don't think any of us can help that. I love you, Bulma. And so does Goku, and Gohan, and Krillin, and Tien and Chiatzou, and Oolong and well…everyone. Every one of us would gladly die for you, especially me, you _do_ know that, right?" he asked. He awaited her answer and heard nothing but silence from her. Not even a nod of her head. He sighed despondently. "Hell, I'm sure even Vegeta would die for you too."

"Not anymore…" Bulma couldn't help but mumble at hearing his last words, the deep ache in her heart thumping inside her chest again as she thought of Vegeta. A pained expression then flashed over her beautiful face as she suddenly felt an overwhelming feeling of suffocation as she felt inexplicably enraged for a moment-only to have that sensation abruptly fade and replaced with the familiar ache she had been feeling since she had awakened. The fleeting, yet drastic sensations were very uncomfortable, and Bulma began to worry that something was wrong with her. She was forced to adjust her sitting position as she glanced up and saw Yamcha give her a concerned, questioned look. She sighed, ignoring what she had said-and how she was feeling-as she was compelled to ask a couple of very important questions.

"So…is this how it's going to be for the rest of our lives, Yamcha?" she asked with veiled irritation. "Are you and Vegeta going to keep arguing and fighting with each other? Because this has been going on for a _very_ long time, and honestly, I'm getting tired of it."

Yamcha frowned. "_You're_ getting tired of it?!" he said incredulously. "Do you really think _I_ want to keep doing this? Believe me, I don't _enjoy_ arguing with him, or fighting him! It wasn't fun almost _dying_ the other night, you know!"

"I'm sure it wasn't." Bulma answered, giving him a look. "It's getting worse and worse. The other night was the _closest_ you've ever been to dying against him, Yamcha. If you two keep fighting, he'll kill you next time." she said, not realizing she had no emotion over the subject of him being killed. "That won't go over very well with many people, so it sounds to me like we need to find a _solution_ to this."

The lack of worry in her voice was evident to him, and he wondered how she could be so cold-hearted and distant about something as serious as this. He looked at her disbelievingly. He wasn't sure, but he thought he sensed some sort of underlying threat that he was unaware of. "A solution? There isn't one." Yamcha said resentfully. "As long as Vegeta and I are around each other-as long as we're _both_ in your life-we're gonna keep clashing horns. You know that."

For the first time since they began talking, a spark of flame ignited in Bulma's blue eyes. Was he trying to give her an ultimatum?! She frowned in anger, clicking her tongue against her teeth as she considered her next words carefully. She tilted her head sideways a bit, an air of danger around her as gave him an analytical look. "Are you trying to make me choose between you or Vegeta?"

Yamcha saw the fire in her eyes, heard the warning in her voice, and he wisely backed down. "No babe, I'm not." he tried to backtrack, hoping he could get his point across without enraging her. "It's just…whenever we're both around you, we always fight. I know it's stressful on you, because it's stressful on me. I'm sure it's probably stressful on him also. Something _does_ need to change, Bulma. You think things are bad _now_?" he reasoned. "Just wait until we get married. Our relationship is going to be put _even more _to the test if he keeps interfering in our business." He watched as she began to grow angrier at his words. "Look, I know you don't like hearing this, but I need to say it, and whether you like it or not, you need to hear it. Vegeta gets between us all the time!"

"He does not." Bulma insisted, not appreciating his exaggeration.

"Fine! Maybe not _all_ the time, but he _does_ take up an insane amount of your time from me. You're always fixing his machines here, or going to his damned monkey planet and fixing them over there."

"Watch it." she growled at hearing the disrespect towards the red planet she loved so much.

Yamcha brushed off the warning as he continued with what he was saying. "You're always working on some project that he wants you to do, and by the off-chance that the stars finally align and I have you to myself, I still never do. Lately he always has something that seems to come up."

"Like what?!" she challenged.

"Like last month, when you and I planned a day at the beach together." he countered.

"We went to the beach together, Yamcha." Bulma said very matter-of-factly.

He scoffed. "Yeah, for about an hour until _he_ shows up, telling you he destroyed all the bots and that you needed to fix them."

"I had to! He needs the bots working and the gravity room functional in order to train. It's my job, Yamcha! It's what I'm _supposed_ to do!"

"So?! You didn't have to do it right then! You could have told him that you were busy spending time with me and that you would fix them later!" Yamcha argued, frustrated that she wasn't seeing his point. "Oh, and what about that one time when we were going to go out to dinner and a movie?"

"When?!"

"In January, remember?!"

"How in hell am I supposed to remember something like that from almost 10 months ago?!" Bulma demanded, her arms firmly crossed over her chest as she listened to his ridiculous complaints

"How could you forget? You cancelled on me! You said that you wished you could watch the fireworks in Beijing for Chinese New Year. Lo and behold, a few days later, Vegeta is _suddenly_ willing to take you to Beijing so that you can watch the fireworks in person instead of on TV!"

"Yamcha, he rarely does anything but eat, sleep, train, and help run an empire." she said sternly. "He never _wants_ to go anywhere or do anything with me, unless I make him. I couldn't turn down an offer like that from him!"

"Please," he scoffed in bitterness, "that's bullshit. You could have said no and that you had a date with me, but did you say that to him? No, you _didn't_. Instead you called me, told me we could go out to dinner and a movie any other time, and then you took off with him!"

She sighed in frustration. "You act like he does this on purpose!"

"Well, I don't know Bulma." Yamcha started off condescendingly, as he gave her a sarcastic look. "A few times wouldn't matter, but when this has been going on for the past 10 years, I can't help but to _think_ he's trying to get between us."

"It's convenient that you single out a few of the times that it seems that way. So what about all the _other_ times we've been together without interruptions from him? I think you're being delusional!"

"Me?! _You're_ the one who's being delusional! I swear, as smart as you are Bulma, I can't believe you can't see what's going on! You know Vegeta doesn't like me. He _never_ has, not since the first second he met me."

"What's your point? Vegeta doesn't like anyone, you know that." Bulma defended, getting uptight as she felt like she was being attacked.

Yamcha sighed in frustration as they kept going in circles, seeing her get defensive. "Forget it. Look, Bulma, I'm not going to stay here all day with you arguing over this." he said, standing up out of his chair for a moment as he turned it around again, sitting down on it properly as he decided to get down to business. He sat down, leaning forward as the back of the chair was no longer a barrier between them. "I just want to know if you're always gonna choose Vegeta over me, even after we get married." he asked her seriously.

She was caught off-guard at the bluntness of Yamcha's question. "I…I don't always choose him over you." Bulma stammered in denial, a troubled look on her face as she felt the truth of it.

"Yes you do." Yamcha said, deciding to try a different tactic with her as he rolled his chair closer to her. She tensed as he neared her, and despite the tension between them, he reached over and gently placed his hands on her arms, seeing her involuntarily wince at his motion. He sighed, coaxing her to relax her arms away from her torso so that he could hold her hands. After some hesitation, Bulma relented, letting him hold her hands in his as he then gave them a gentle squeeze. He looked into her beautiful, troubled eyes.

"And it's nothing new, babe. I've dealing with this since we were teenagers-ever since we've been together. Look, _I get it_, okay? You have known Vegeta since you were a baby. You and your dad work for him and his planet. You're the only one that I know of who is smart enough to do what you do, build what you build, and deal with him, because he sure as hell isn't an easy person to like or understand. Believe me when I say you are an absolute angel for being able to put up with him for so long, but there has to be a time where you stop being scared and put your foot down with him and tell him that he can't keep getting between us."

Bulma looked at him sharply, astounded at what she just him heard say. "Is _that_ what you think? That I'm _scared_ of Vegeta?" she blurted, not believing that was really what he thought as she pulled her hands away from his. "I have _never_ been scared of him, Yamcha, and I never will be! He may be a powerful alien prince, but I have _no_ problems in standing up to him and telling him what I think!"

It was Yamcha's turn to be shocked, surprised at her sudden outburst. His eyebrows furrowed as he frowned in anger. "Well then, if you're not scared of him, then what the hell is the problem?! Why do you keep letting him get between us?! You need to tell Vegeta that I am your priority, not him!" he demanded.

Bulma quickly shot up out of her chair, placing her clenched fists firmly on her hips as she as she shot him an uncompromising glare. "Don't you tell me what to do, Yamcha! I don't let Vegeta get away with trying to tell me what to do, and I sure as hell won't let you get away with it either!"

"So that's your answer then?!" Yamcha growled as he stood up and matched her stance, his glare matching her intensity. "You're _still_ gonna let him get away with his bullshit even _after_ we get married?! You're still gonna choose him over me?!"

"I'm not choosing _anyone_ over _anyone_!" Bulma insisted firmly. "You're my fiancée, Yamcha! And he's….he's…." she stammered, not knowing what to say about Vegeta, "….I don't know _what_ he is, but it's not the same, okay?!"

"Fine!" he spat, his demeanor darkening. "Then if _you_ won't talk to Vegeta and tell him how it's going to be, then _I_ will." he promised. "I'll be sure to tell him the next time I see him."

"He's _never_ coming back to Earth!" Bulma blurted out in a frustrated yell, turning her body partly away from Yamcha as she tried hard to focus on something, _anything_, inside her lab, willing away the tears that threatened to show. The pain of the reality of it burned hot within her chest as the ache crawled up her throat, momentarily choking her. Saying it out loud was unbelievably heartbreaking. She managed a difficult swallow, trying to control her emotions. "So good luck with that." she muttered after she was able to find her voice again.

"What?! What do you mean?!" Yamcha growled in response, not expecting this sudden turn of events.

"Exactly what I said, Yamcha." Bulma said evenly, taking a moment to compose herself as she turned to look at her workstation, blankly staring at her schematics and calculations. "He's never stepping foot on Earth again."

"Why?" Yamcha asked, his anger toning down. What the hell happened? Did she ban him from coming back to Earth?

"We had a falling-out last night. A bad one. Bad enough that he told me he would never come back. He meant it." Bulma said, quickly inhaling a deep breath, letting it out with a heavy heart as she managed to reign in the rest of her emotions, locking them back up in her heart. She had nothing else to say for the moment as she remained quiet and turned to look back at Yamcha again, seeing that his anger, and well as hers, had toned down quite a bit over the past few moments. "So now you don't have to worry about him getting in the way between us." she said somewhat sarcastically.

Yamcha sighed in frustration, rolling his eyes. "I never said I wanted him out of your life forever."

"He might as well be." she said indifferently, as she glanced back over at her workstation, trying not to look at him. "With things this bad between us…it might actually sever ties between our planets."

"It's _that_ bad?" Yamcha asked in veiled concerned. Sure, it made him happy that Vegeta wasn't going to be in the picture anymore. If he was not coming to Earth anymore, then there would be no more conflict between him and Vegeta, or between himself and Bulma. Still, this was something to be concerned about, because he didn't like seeing Bulma disturbed about it, no matter how hard she was trying to hide it.

"It _feel_s like it is." Bulma answered honestly, her voice wavering slightly. Yamcha might have taken her words figuratively, but she meant them literally as she continued to feel that familiar ache in her chest. She closed her eyes for a moment, sensing something. She felt the ache pulling and tugging on her. She opened her eyes, feeling the sensation quickly fade away. Something was definitely wrong with her. She couldn't explain what she was feeling, least of all to Yamcha. He wouldn't understand. How could he, when she herself could not describe it? She resolved that after her and Yamcha were done talking, she was going to have her dad examine her.

"If he's not coming back here, then what does that mean? Are you going to keep having to go to his planet then?" Yamcha asked, not sure if this meant she would be away from Earth even more now.

Bulma shrugged. "I doubt I will be going there much anymore after this." she said, motioning with her hand over to her workstation. "After I finish building him this new gravity room, he won't need me around anymore."

"What do you mean? Aren't you going to be needed for repairs and stuff? Doesn't he need you to fix whatever he destroys?"

Bulma took another look over at her project, before turning back to Yamcha. She kept her voice even, but the sadness in her eyes was apparent. "No. The room will be almost completely indestructible, and will require minimal maintenance. If there are any repairs that need to be made, or reprogramming to be done, there are other mechanics and engineers who can handle them."

Hearing this made Yamcha glad. Yes, he probably was a bad person, since her sadness equated to his happiness-but to _not_ have Vegeta on Earth anymore, prowling Capsule Corp grounds, interfering between him and Bulma-it was a godsend! And with Bulma not going to Vegetasei much, _if at all _anymore, only meant that she would be home on Earth, helping to run Capsule Corp. She would come home to him, and he would _finally_ have her all to himself.

Feeling happiness flood through him, and feeling very hopeful about their future together now, Yamcha took the few steps that separated himself and Bulma. He decided to dismiss their earlier arguments and was willing to move on from them now that he felt that his concerns were now invalid. He no longer saw Vegeta as a threat. After all, if the Saiyan did somehow have feelings for her, or if she had any for him, then they wouldn't be separating themselves from each other like this. '_Ha, Goku was wrong after all_,' Yamcha inwardly mused, as he felt he had proof that Vegeta and Bulma's ties to each other didn't seem to run as deep as Goku had believed and had told him about. "Babe, try not to dwell on it. Maybe this is for the better." he reasoned, placing his hands on her upper arms, and missed how she flinched slightly at his touch. "So…are you and I going to be okay now?"

Bulma looked into his eyes and studied his face. Did she even have an answer for that? How could she think right now? Her and Vegeta were falling apart, and she wasn't sure they could ever be put back together again. She feared she was going to be separated from an alien world that she considered a second home. Her head was hurting, her heart was aching, and she wasn't feeling quite like herself. She had a pressing deadline hanging over her head. She had a worldwide corporation to take over and run soon. She had a massive wedding happening the day after next. The stress and tension within her was overwhelming, but in true Saiyan nature, she kept it bottled and locked up inside of her.

She saw Yamcha awaiting her answer, and she needed to think of one. But, all that ran though her mind were the endless fears and doubts that had been plaguing her for the past few months. Was this the man she was going to marry in a couple of days? Was this the man she was meant to be with after all? Was this the man who was right for her? Was this the man who she loved?

"Bulma?" Yamcha asked, his voice laced with worry at not hearing her respond right away.

"Yeah, we're okay." she murmured numbly as his voice broke her out of her many disturbed thoughts. At hearing this, Yamcha nodded and brought her against him and gave her a big, warm hug.

She did not hug him back.

Yamcha pulled away from her and gave her a lopsided smile, missing the fact that Bulma did not embrace him also. "How about you take a break and I take you out somewhere to eat?"

She did not feel like going anywhere, at all. She just wanted to say home and suffer though whatever she was feeling, and continue to work on the foundation of the gravity room. But she couldn't turn him down, not after things were supposed to be okay between them again. She forced herself to make an effort with him.

"Sure, that sounds good." she reluctantly agreed. "I _am_ hungry. Let me change, and we'll get going…" Bulma said softly, walking towards the stairs, as he followed right behind her. They began to head out of her lab, making small talk, trying to decide on where to go have an early dinner at.

They walked through a few winding hallways, becoming startled when Goku suddenly appeared in front of them.

* * *

Vegeta let the hot water rain down upon his body as he took his time in the shower, no desire to wipe off the healing fluid as he let the fluid slowly wash away at its own pace. He stood in front of the shower head, the palms of his hands both pressed against the shower wall as he dipped his head down, letting the spray of the water hit against his lower neck and shoulder blades. The hot water felt good. It felt very therapeutic to him.

The prince let out a heavy-hearted sigh, slowly rolling his neck and turning his head one way, then the other, as he silently urged the hot water to burn away whatever he was feeling. It wasn't working as an indescribable void continued to grow somewhere inside of him. It seemed that purging Bulma from his heart was going to be harder than he thought it would be. Frustrated, he rested one of his forearms against the shower wall, leaning forward to rest his forehead against it. The hot water now rained down upon his back, as he raised his other hand to the back of his neck to massage it.

Why did he do something as idiotic as kissing her? It would have been better for Bulma to have rejected him right then, instead of kissing him back and having him cross this apparent point-of-no-return. He growled. Who was he kidding? He had been lost for her for a long time already. He didn't know how he was going to handle seeing her again. Part of him wanted to be cold-hearted and distant, while the other part wanted to confront her and demand her affections. Huffing in frustration, he stepped back away from the shower wall and let the water hit his chest, over his heart.

If only the water could wash away everything that happened last night.

As if his silent wish was misunderstood, Vegeta sensed something strange in his chest again. He reached up with a hand and placed his palm over his heart, feeling it beat strongly. He frowned, not understanding what was the matter with him. Since he first emerged out of the rejuvenation tank, that unfamiliar sensation randomly spiked and faded away. It had been fleeting at the time, but now, as he continued to think of Bulma, he was sure he felt something more concrete as the sensation stayed with him longer than usual.

He tried to ignore what he was feeling, despite the vacancy in his heart urging and tugging at him. It was an aching sensation…like something was being twisted inside his chest very slowly. If he had to describe the feeling, he would not be able to.

Little did he know that Bulma was feeling the same thing as he was.

How would he know that her soul was calling out for his?

* * *

_A warm smile graced Bulma's lips as she heard Vegeta acknowledge that he would miss her after all. She knew she was going to miss him so much also. _

_His affirmation did much to quell the anxiety she had over their impending separation, but she still felt that things between them were going to change forever. How could being separated for two years from each other __**not**__ affect them? Before she could say anything else, Vegeta pulled himself up to a standing position. "Come, girl, it is getting late and it will be dark soon. Let's get back to the palace."_

"_Vegeta, are you ever going to stop calling me 'girl'?" Bulma asked off-handedly as she got to her feet, picking up their beach towels and shaking the sand off of them._

"_Would you rather I call you 'woman'?" the prince asked her, curling his tail around his waist as he watched her shake out the beach towels._

"_No! That sounds horribly chauvinistic! I wouldn't like that any more than being called 'girl'." Bulma answered much too honestly. Too late, she realized her mistake as she looked over at Vegeta, seeing the tell-tale sign of trouble sparkle in his dark eyes as he smirked mischievously at her._

"_Great. You're going to start calling me 'woman' now, aren't you?" she said, shaking her head at her slip-up._

"_Of course I am, woman. I have been calling you 'girl' for the past twenty years. A change up seems to be in order. I think I will enjoy this new name for you."_

"_You're such a jerk, you know that?" Bulma couldn't help but laugh good-naturedly, enjoying his rare playfulness with her. As they began to walk through the sand and head back to the palace, she was suddenly feeling brave. She wanted to express a little more of the worry and concern she had. "Vegeta…no matter how far apart we are, we're always going to be okay, right?" she asked, the concerned look on her face still evident. _

_He could sense her anxiety, and he remained quiet. Up until now, they had never been apart for more than a few months or so at a time. Bulma was either with him on Vegetasei, or he was with her on Earth. Moments passed and Bulma's ki began to waiver slightly at his lack of an immediate response. Vegeta sighed, the tip of his tail curling and uncurling as he contemplated his next words to her. **"The lightyears between our worlds….between **_**_us_**_** are inconsequential. We will always be together, even when we're not."** _

* * *

Wow, lots going on in this chapter! More story background between them, which I always enjoy. Did you like the flashbacks? How about Vegeta's confrontation with his parents? Or the lingering threat from the Icejins wanting Bulma there? How about the conversation between Yamcha and Bulma? And what about Goku showing up? I'm sure Yamcha and Goku have some things to discuss. What did you think about what's going on between Vegeta and Bulma? I know some people weren't too sure about the whole 'bonding' aspect, but it won't be like in other stories. This is only a partial bond, which will only be evident during times of extreme emotions.

I really hope you enjoyed reading this. I hope you will leave me a review and tell me your thoughts on this chapter. Also, what are you excited about? What are you worried about? If it's about me taking so long to update, I'm sorry! I have another 5-6 chapters planned, and I will keep working hard at my story, I promise. I will try to keep the writer's block at bay as best I can!

Chapter 17 is a work in progress. My goal is to get it finished and posted in a couple of weeks. Until then, I'll keep on writing, and I will see you soon.

*~*~* Bella *~*~*


	18. Where The End Starts

Hi everyone! I'm so happy to be updating my story for you today! I know you have been waiting with amazing amounts of patience, and I appreciate your continued support! Luckily, writer's block didn't hit me much this time, which I was glad about. In fact, this is now the longest chapter of my story so far! Thank you, as always, for reading my story and following it. I hope you enjoy the next installment!

A/N: I'm sure you've noticed the title of my chapter. I'm sure some of you will have mixed feelings about what you're about to read. I've got a lot of things happening in it, a couple of twists and turns you might or might not be expecting. I'm excited, as well as nervous about what's going on.

Just remember...not everything is as it seems.

* * *

_Love._

_You never know the minute it ends,_

_Suddenly I can't get it to speak._

_Maybe if I knew all the things it took to save us,_

_I could fix the pain that bleeds inside of me._

**Chapter 17- Where The End Starts**

He sensed it.

The instant he was in front of Bulma, it had hit him like a punch to his head.

It was the exact strange, uneasy disruption in her energy signal.

Something was _very_ off with her.

Just like with Vegeta.

It was unsettling, and upon feeling this same disturbance in her life force his first instinct was to tell his father that _she_ had something wrong with her also. Unfortunately Goku had no real time at this moment to think much further on the subject as he appeared in front of her…..and Yamcha.

"Goku!" Bulma and Yamcha blurted simultaneously. There was undeniable surprise written on both their faces as they each had different reactions to his unexpected arrival. Bulma had abruptly stopped in her tracks, taking single step backward as she brought one of her hands over her heart, almost having the living daylights scared out of her. Goku appearing out of nowhere was normally _not_ a big deal to her, but considering her mother had told her that he had been looking for her earlier…along with her own self-tormenting thoughts on what it was that he could _possibly_ be wanting to talk to her about…she was understandably apprehensive.

As for Yamcha, his happy demeanor had changed upon seeing the Saiyan suddenly appear in front of them. After all, he had not forgotten what Goku had done to him yesterday morning. His hands fisted in tension, anger washing over him as he recalled how his 'friend' knocked him unconscious for no apparent reason.

"Oh _wow_, this isn't a good time…" Goku said, wanting to backtrack as he realized more and more that he just _did not _have the best timing in the world. He hadn't anticipated Yamcha being with her and he knew this could end badly. Once again he wondered how he managed to get himself stuck right in the middle of things.

"Oh, I think this is the perfect time!" Yamcha said angrily, walking towards him with the clear intent of wanting to punch him and start a fight.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, Yamcha…" Goku said rather apologetically, holding his hands up in figurative surrender. The last thing he wanted to do was get into a fight or argument with him, especially in front of Bulma. He needed to get out of there, and quickly. The sooner he left, the better for all of them. He could try talking with Bulma later, when Yamcha wasn't around.

"Yamcha!" Bulma said harshly, alarmed at the swift aggressiveness he had toward Goku, realizing there was some sort of issue between them. She hurriedly jogged up to them and took to their sides, stepping in between them to prevent a fight. She placed both her hands firmly on Yamcha's chest, effectively stopping him from advancing on Goku any further. Yamcha didn't appreciate her getting in the way, remaining angry and tense as he wanted to continue forward while she stubbornly pushed against him to stop. "What the hell's gotten into you?!" she demanded.

"ME?!" Yamcha growled, raising his arm and pointing a finger behind her directly at Goku. "It's not ME, it's HIM!" he said defiantly.

"I think I should go." Goku said seriously, seeing that Yamcha was too fired up to want to listen or talk civilly about anything. "This is _really_ not a good time."

"Wait, _what_?!" Bulma questioned, responding to Goku's words as she turned her head to look back at him over her shoulder. "What do you mean? What is going on?!" she asked in slight exasperation, seeing that Goku was not wanting to get into a fight as she turned her attention back to Yamcha, looking up at his angered face and into his dark eyes.

"Oh, didn't he _tell_ you?!" Yamcha began spitefully, ignoring Bulma's non-verbal plea to calm down as he kept his fiery gaze locked onto Goku. "He came to my place yesterday morning and knocked my lights out!"

"He _what_?!" Bulma said in shock as she removed her hands from Yamcha's chest, quickly whipping around, looking at Goku with utter surprise and confusion. "You did _**what**_**?!**" she said in disbelief, wanting to know why he would do such a thing to Yamcha like that. It wasn't like Goku to do something like that at all!

Goku frowned in seriousness. This really wasn't a good time. At all. "You don't want to do this right now, Yamcha." he warned him, trying to avoid this conversation happening in front of Bulma as best he could as he momentarily ignored her shock.

"Like hell I don't!" Yamcha replied angrily in defiance, stretching his arm out and shoving Bulma out of his way as gently as he could, before continuing to step up to Goku.

"I'm serious. Drop it. We can talk about this later." Goku said sternly, his voice low as he tried to get the point across to him that his advice should be taken as his tail remained guarded around his waist.

But Yamcha was not going to let it go. "No! We're talking about this _now_! Why the hell did you punch me?!"

Goku remained eerily quiet for a moment, internally struggling on whether or not he wanted to answer him. He looked over at Bulma as she remained quiet, concern etched on her face as she listened for his answer. He inwardly sighed. He warned Yamcha, but if he wanted to talk about this in front of her, then so be it. "It was for your own good." he replied, no remorse found in his response.

Hearing Goku's words did nothing but infuriate Yamcha as his ki spiked strongly in anger. "_For my own good?!" _he echoed in audacity. "You punched me and knocked me out for no reason!"

At hearing this, Goku's frown deepened, as he started to grow agitated, the tip of his tail flicking in irritation. "I _really_ didn't want to do this in front of Bulma." he stated firmly, making that perfectly clear to both of them as he gave Bulma an apologetic look before turning his attention back to Yamcha, looking him directly in his eyes. "I had a very good reason to."

"Oh, I'm sure you did! And what _exact reason _was _that_?!" Yamcha spat out in angered sarcasm, his hands still clenched in fists as he was one moment away from trying to take a swing at Goku.

"You don't remember what you said to me, do you?" Goku's calm, yet angered tone of warning in his voice spoke volumes to Yamcha and Bulma.

It was Yamcha's turn to finally hesitate for a moment in uncertainty. He didn't know what the hell Goku was talking about, yet he still ignored the dire warning in his voice. Unfortunately, hindsight was 20/20, and he was about to realize that the words he had said to Goku yesterday morning about Bulma…and his uncivil threats about Vegeta…would someday come back to haunt him with a vengeance.

Ironically, that day was today.

Bulma had remained eerily quiet the entire time as she looked back and forth between them, not knowing what in hell was going on. But after hearing Goku's words, her attention turned now to Yamcha, waiting to hear what exactly happened between them the previous morning.

He should have listened to Goku when he said this wasn't a good time. He should have listened when Goku tried to avoid having this conversation in front of Bulma. He should have let Goku leave when he wanted to, so that he could have had a nice early dinner with Bulma this evening. He should have recalled that he could not remember what had happened when he woke up after Goku punched him unconscious. Too bad he was still blinded by his anger and he had thrown any attempt at reason out the window. "What did I say?" Yamcha asked in a mocking tone.

Goku inhaled deeply before letting out a sharp breath, growing increasingly agitated at Yamcha. "You said once you're married to Bulma, that _you_ would be in control, and that she would be too stupid to realize it."

Yamcha's memory was abruptly jogged back by Goku's words. His eyes widened in realization, not wanting Bulma to hear the rest. Oh shit. "Okay Goku, that's enough…" he demanded forcefully, hurriedly trying to backtrack the trouble he was about to be in.

"No, Goku." Bulma's uncharacteristically calm, even voice rang in as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Continue. Please. I would like to hear this." she said, her words laced with venom as she seethed in anger. Did Yamcha really think he would be in control of the company?!

Goku hesitated, but nodded his head, complying with her request as he kept his cold gaze upon Yamcha. "You told me with that control, Vegeta would no longer interfere between you and Bulma. You said you would make sure that she _never_ saw him again."

"You said _**what**_?!" Bulma yelled at Yamcha, enraged at what she just heard as she uncrossed her arms from her chest and fisted her small hands as waves of anger washed over her.

Yamcha growled, pissed off that Goku said the very thing he didn't want him saying. In anger and frustration, he threw his elbow back and tried to land a punch at Goku, only to have him catch his fist in his hand and hold it back firmly. "I told you this wasn't a good time." Goku said evenly, squeezing Yamcha's fist tighter, causing him some pain in an effort to get his message across. "Now knock it off before you get hurt."

Yamcha huffed in anger as he tore his fist away from Goku, knowing he wasn't nearly strong enough to fight him. Not by a long shot. "I thought you were my friend, Goku!"

"I am." Goku assured sternly. "And I didn't want this to happen right now, but you insisted we talk _now_, so you only have yourself to blame." And with that, Goku wisely stepped back away from him, choosing to stand off to the side as he remained around to make sure things did not get out of hand between them.

Upon seeing Goku step out of the way, Bulma stormed up to Yamcha, shoving him roughly in anger. "So _that's_ what you think?! That I'm _stupid_? That you'll have _control_ over me?!"

"No! I was still angry, okay?! I said things without thinking!" Yamcha growled back at her. "I didn't mean what I said!"

"Bullshit you didn't!" Bulma yelled back at him. "So what you told me earlier was a lie, wasn't it?! You really _were_ trying to get me to choose between you or him, weren't you?!"

"It doesn't fucking matter anymore, does it?! You said he was never coming back to Earth, so what the hell is the big deal?!"

Bulma's anger soared, and her ki spiked up in pain from the brutal reminder that Vegeta would not be coming back. Ever. "The big deal, you jackass, is that you think that you can keep us separated! I _still_ work for him and his family, and for his planet, and you _can't_ control that!" she shouted as she paused for a moment, taking a collective breath as she tried to calm her temper. She threw a warning glare at him, her next words coming out much more quieter but weighing heavily with seriousness. "You will _never_ control that."

'_Like hell I can't!'_ Yamcha inwardly thought to himself. He growled in anger, feeling some sort of underlying threat still existent, even though Vegeta was no longer going to be coming to Earth. Seemed this was not good enough for him. As long as she worked for the royal family and for the planet, they still would be in each other's lives…and he would never be rid of Vegeta's presence. "We'll see about that." he murmured defiantly under his breath.

Bulma narrowed her eyes dangerously, unsure if she really heard what he just said or not. "If you think marrying me will put you in control of myself and Capsule Corp, then you better think again, Yamcha!"

He growled in frustration. "I already _told you_, I was mad when I said those things. I didn't mean it!" Yamcha hollered back at Bulma in reply, cutting his hand though the air in blatant frustration. "You never believe _anything_ I ever tell you!"

"So you're saying Goku's _lying_?!" Bulma demanded, her hands firmly placed on her hips in an aggressive stance.

"Are _you_ saying you don't believe me?!" Yamcha mirrored back at her, matching her stance. "You know what?! I don't need this shit right now! You can forget about dinner, I'm out of here!" he shouted in infuriation, giving her an angered look, before shooting a pissed-off look at Goku also. He saw the serious look on his face and he turned his attention back to his fiancée. "You need to seriously think about _where_ your loyalties lie, Bulma, and _who_ they are with! I'll give you the night to think things over." he finished with barely restrained contempt as he stormed past them. "Be sure to let me know in the morning." Yamcha ended in a scathing tone as he quickly headed down the rest of the hallway, wanting to leave her home before he really lost his temper.

Things looked like they were finally going well between him and Bulma until Goku just had to show up and ruin everything! He wasn't sure if it was too late and if the damage had been done. Yamcha sighed in aggravation. He figured if Bulma didn't show up to their wedding rehearsal tomorrow morning, then he had her answer. If she did show up, then she had chosen him….

…and that meant she was his.

* * *

After Yamcha stormed out of her home, Bulma clenched her hand, slamming the underside of her fist forcefully against the hallway wall. "Ugh! I can't believe him!" she yelled out in utter frustration. She tried to calm down her breathing as she took her fist away from the wall, rubbing it carefully with her other hand. She had hit the wall harder than she intended. "He makes me so fucking mad sometimes…" she growled in aggravation, ready to go on a tirade about what an unbelievable bastard he could be before a strong, gentle hand on her shoulder calmed her down. She took in a deep breath before letting it out, his comforting touch reminding her that he was there. She turned to look at him. "I'm sorry you had to hear all this, Goku. I didn't mean to put you into that kind of position."

"Nothing to be sorry for." Goku said, giving Bulma a sympathetic smile before removing his hand from her shoulder. "I warned him. He didn't want to listen. Doesn't help that I have terrible timing either." he chuckled uneasily, trying to lighten up the situation a bit.

Bulma gave a slight shrug. "Or perfect timing. Depends on how one sees it." she commented, inhaling deeply again before letting her breath out softly. She ran her good hand through her hair while she gently shook out the injured one. "When exactly were you going to tell me what he said?"

"I don't know. Sometime today. Or tomorrow. I just didn't plan on him being around when I told you." Goku said honestly, turning his head slightly away from her as he kept tabs on Yamcha's ki, sensing him move further and further away from the home. Satisfied, he then turned his attention back to Bulma, giving her a very serious look. "Bulma, there's something else that I need to tell you. Something else that Yamcha said."

Concern crossed her face, seeing how serious he had suddenly become. "What is it, Goku?"

"It's the _real_ reason why I punched him. I don't know if he remembers what else he said or not. I don't think he does." Goku began.

"Well, alright. What is it?"

"I think you might want to sit down for this."

Bulma frowned in uneasiness as she nodded her head, understanding that this must have been something bad. Perhaps this was a conversation to be better had elsewhere rather than in the middle of the hallway. She motioned with her head for Goku to follow her, as they walked down the hallway and entered the recreation room. After shutting the door behind them, she turned around and leaned her back against it, crossing her arms apprehensively across her torso. She watched as Goku walked over to the large pool table and sat against the corner of it, crossing his arms over his chest, mirroring her stance. "Alright Goku, what else did he say?" she asked softly.

"It wasn't _just_ about when you married that he was going to try to keep you away from Vegeta." Goku emphasized. "He told me that if Vegeta didn't stay away from you, or you from him…" he hesitated in saying the rest, but he knew he had to, "…well, by then he would have control over the company. He said he would have Capsule Corp find a way to _kill_ him."

At hearing this ominous threat against Vegeta's life, Bulma pushed herself off away from the door, lit up with rage and distress at hearing this revelation. "He said _**WHAT**_?!" she shrieked angrily as her wrath ignited. "HOW DARE HE FUCKING SAY THAT! He _**CAN'T**_ do that! _**I WONT LET HIM**_!"

Goku winced at her tone of voice as he watched her pace around like a panther on edge, ready to kill. He noted with concern that her ki spiked up in anger, which only served to remind him about the oddity he felt in it. Now that he had the chance, he concentrated on her unique energy signal, attempting to ignore the random spikes of fluctuations and trying to feel out her base ki signal. He was trying to pinpoint what _exactly_ about it was so…..different. "Now you know why I punched him. It was bad enough he was talking about you like that, but when he threatened Vegeta, I just lost it." Goku said honestly, running an unsure hand through his untamed spikes of dark hair, disturbed over the subject also.

"I just…I can't…" Bulma began, halting her angered pacing as she growled in frustration at not being able to voice her anger and frustration at the situation. She was fuming on the inside, fury washing over her at the audacity Yamcha had at thinking that once they were married that he would be able to tell her what or what not to do, who she could or could not see, and think that he would gain control over Capsule Corp once she took the reins from her father. She couldn't believe he said these things, and to Goku of all people!

"I know Yamcha's not strong enough to kill him or anything, but when he said that to me yesterday….I don't know, it felt like he _meant_ it. And you know me, Bulma. I'm _not_ a violent person, but I couldn't help it." Goku emphasized, trying to explain his actions. "I don't take threats against Vegeta's life very lightly."

"Yeah, I know Goku. I don't either." Bulma brought her hands to her face, rubbing it for a moment before gliding them upwards into her hair as she groaned in frustration, remembering when Yamcha tried to almost kill Vegeta with a blast through his chest when they had fought a few days ago. "Even if Yamcha meant what he said about saying all these things 'out of anger'…there's still a foundation of truth in there, somewhere." she muttered with bitterness. "I'm sure if it came down to it, he really _would_ try to find a way to kill Vegeta."

"If he did, I might actually kill him for it, Bulma." Goku admitted without hesitation, frowning angrily at the very idea of somehow failing to protect his prince, who was as much his rival as his close friend. "That is…if my brother or Nappa didn't get to him first."

At hearing Goku's very honest statement, Bulma walked over and stood near him. They looked over at each other meaningfully for a moment before she spoke. "If Yamcha killed him…he would have an entire race of Saiyans out for his blood. It wouldn't matter though. I would be first in line to kill him." she said rather darkly. In surprise, she shook her head slightly, trying to get rid of the sudden feeling of bloodthirst she felt overcome her at the idea. The sensation faded away slowly as she wondered what in the hell was wrong with her. After a moment she sighed heavy-heartedly, reaching over to place her hand on Goku's shoulder this time, squeezing gently. "Don't worry, I won't let it happen, Goku." she said softly, feeling a great need to reassure her best friend…as well as a need to still protect a Saiyan prince who no longer wanted to come to Earth…or want her around him anymore. The very thought brought the familiar ache to her chest which she tried her best to hide. She sighed, patting Goku's shoulder a couple of times. "Besides, haven't you heard? He's not coming back to Earth."

"Yeah, I've heard." was all Goku could say, a concerned look still etched on his face. It wasn't over what she said though. It was over the surge in her ki that just occurred, as that strange disturbance in her energy he had been sensing suddenly felt even _more_ oddly familiar. He tilted his head sideways a bit, studying Bulma intensely. It was that same level of heightened disturbance that he felt in Vegeta's ki when they were inside the throne room. The realization brought a slight shiver to him. What in the world was the matter with both of them?

"Figured as much." was all Bulma said as she turned away from Goku and walked around the perimeter of the pool table, gently gliding her fingertips over the soft, green felt before grabbing the red 3 ball and rolling it against the opposite rail. She watched the angles of the ball as it bounced off the rails a few times. It only served to remind her of geometry, which reminded her of mathematics, which reminded her of impossible gravity algorithms and formulas that were being difficult with her. "No need to worry about Vegeta being killed if he's not on Earth, right?" she tried to say lightly with false optimism, trying hard not to think of their separation, and failing miserably at it.

He felt her disturbed ki pulsate a bit, and it was concerning him even more. "Bulma, are you….okay?" Goku couldn't help but ask her as he watched her try to keep herself busy.

"I'm fine." Bulma muttered, grabbing another ball and rolling it around the table mindlessly.

"Are you sure about that?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Goku." Bulma said softly as she stepped away from the pool table and went over to the large sectional, sitting on the plush arm of it. "My mom said you were here looking for me earlier." she said, swiftly moving away from the subject of what happened between her and Vegeta. If Goku continued to persist about what was wrong, her heart was feeling weak enough to where she might actually give in and tell him.

Goku inwardly sighed. It looked like he wasn't going to get any answers from her either. She would be stubborn and shut down if he kept asking. Sometimes her and Vegeta were so alike, it was not funny. Whatever it was that happened, he knew it was very bad. It was difficult for Goku to not press the issue any further when he knew there was _something_ big going on that he just was not aware of. Vegeta had willingly sedated himself. His ki signal was different, changed somehow, just like hers, and he didn't know _why_ or _how_. Vegeta said himself he was never coming back to Earth, and Bulma verified it. Did they have a big fight? That had to be it. Then again, they have had more than their fair share of arguments and fights over the years, and what he felt from both of them was nothing short of disturbing. Not being able to pinpoint it was unbelievably frustrating for him. He had known both of them his entire life, yet he never felt this strange disturbance from either one of them before, even at the heights of their anger and frustration toward each other.

"Yeah, I needed to talk to you about something….but never mind." Goku trailed off, knowing he wouldn't get any answers from her even if she _did_ know what was wrong with Vegeta. But maybe she didn't know. Maybe she didn't know there was something wrong with her life energy either? "Besides about what Yamcha said…I'm actually here because Vegeta sent me to tell you a couple of things."

Bulma visibly tensed up for a moment at hearing this. In the short couple of seconds it took her to respond, approximately 10 things ran though her mind on what Vegeta could possibly have sent him there for. "Did he? What does he want?" she tried to say in a cooled, even tone. It would have worked, except Goku could feel her odd ki signal become nervous.

"He said that six weeks won't work anymore. He needs his new gravity room finished as soon as possible."

A spark of fire ignited in Bulma's blue eyes as her demeanor abruptly changed. "What?! Is he **crazy**?! NO!" she flipped out in defiance, quickly standing up from her seated position, feeling like she was being challenged.

Goku winced at her reaction, already expecting his blue-haired best friend to be unhappy about it. He gave her a half-hearted shrug. "It's what he told me to tell you."

"That jerk! He has some fucking nerve, you know that?!" she began to rant, throwing her arms up a bit in frustration. "Who the hell does he think he is?!" she demanded as she stamped her foot down in anger.

"The Prince of all Saiyans?" Goku couldn't help but remark, trying to stifle a smile as Bulma threw a glare full of daggers at him.

"It was a rhetorical question!" Bulma said irritably, crossing her arms across her chest, pissed off at Vegeta's audacity to send her this kind of message.

"Rhetorical?"

"Don't worry about it Goku!" Bulma said, not wanting at the moment to explain to him what 'rhetorical' meant. "Look, I don't care _who_ he is! I can't build his damn machine any faster, no matter how much he demands it! My genius can only be pushed to a certain limit, Goku! As it is, I don't even _think_ I can build it in the six weeks I originally told him, let alone any sooner!"

It was Goku's turn to bring his hands to his face, rubbing them downward in slight tiredness. How in hell did he always get caught in the middle of these two?! "Well, what am I supposed to tell him then?"

"Tell him exactly what I told you. That's he's _**crazy**_, and that I _**don't care **_who in hell he thinks he is, but he has _**no right **_to demand something like this from me, _**and**_ that he'll be damn lucky to get it in the six weeks I quoted him to begin with!"

Goku looked at Bulma with a look of exasperation. "You don't _really_ expect me to tell him that, do you?!"

She gave him a stern look, putting her hands on her hips. "Of course I do, Goku. You tell that prince of jerks that _I don't care _how pissed off he gets. If he doesn't like it, then tough shit! He can come find me on Earth and tell me that to my face!" Bulma said spitefully. "And considering he's never coming back here, he's going to have to accept my answer to his 'request', because it is officially denied."

Goku pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes for a moment, feeling a headache suddenly coming on as he vaguely wondered if Vegeta and Bulma were somehow one in the same person. Sometimes it was hard to tell. "Okay, okay, I get the message loud and clear." he said, shaking his head as he opened his eyes and looked at his best female friend. He let out a heavy sigh. "And that's not all he wanted me to tell you."

Bulma huffed in annoyance as she gave Goku one of those looks. "What _else_ does his highness want?!"

"He wants to know what you and someone named Zarbon talked about last night." he said, question clearly evident in his voice.

Bulma's irritation grew bigger, if that was even possible by this point. "Why the hell does he want to know that?!"

"I don't know, he didn't tell me. Who is Zarbon?" Goku asked with curiosity.

"No one. Just someone I met last night." Bulma said, waving a hand in the air, not paying that fact very much importance as she figuratively bushed it away. "Well, you can also tell Vegeta that it's none of his damn business what Zarbon and I talked about!"

"Bulma…" Goku whined a bit, "…c'mon, don't be like that. You have to give me something here! He sent me to get answers from you, and you're not giving me any! You're just sending me back with insults for him which will only make him more mad at me."

"Well, if he wants to know so badly, then he can come ask me himself!" Bulma said stubbornly, knowing she wouldn't tell Vegeta anyway, even if he did come back to Earth to corner her and yell at her about it.

"I swear, you both are the most stubborn, hot-headed, uncompromising people I've ever known." Goku said, shaking his head, giving up on trying to get any answers from her. He had a feeling he was going to be the messenger between them, and he was already dreading it.

Bulma looked at Goku for a moment, suddenly feeling bad. "I'm sorry Goku. I don't mean to be so difficult and give you a hard time. I just…." she trailed off, taking in a deep breath and breathing it out sharply, "…I just don't want to talk about Vegeta anymore. I don't want to think about him. I just have too many things going on right now, too much stress, too many worries…." she ended abruptly, bringing her arms around her stomach, feeling vulnerable as she hugged herself a bit, turning her head away from Goku's intense gaze as she tried to focus on a beautiful painting hanging up on the wall of the rec room. She had already let enough slip, and needed to shut her mouth before she went any further.

"It's okay Bulma, I can understand." Goku answered after a moment, feeling her disturbed ki ebb and flow in a random pattern. He walked over to her, his own eyes betraying worry and concern as he studied her. The disturbance in her ki seemed to surge and become stronger at this moment. Apparently the subject of Vegeta seemed to affect her significantly, just like the subject of her greatly affected Vegeta in the throne room. He sighed heavily, wishing he could figure out what was the matter with her. He made a mental note to observe the disturbance in Vegeta's ki when he returned to tell him what she said. Maybe, if he was able to piece things little by little, he might be able to figure out if they were both sick, or what was going on with them. He was sure he and his father could figure it out. "Is there anything I can help you with?" he asked kindly.

Bulma responded by gently shaking her head 'no', trying her best to keep her eyes focused on the painting. She was trying to will away the hot tears that threatened to emerge. She tried to stifle the feelings of heartache and separation that she was overcome with as she thought of Vegeta, feeling more now than ever that things between them were unrepairable. She supposed she should have at least been glad that Vegeta had something to tell her after their falling-out the night before, even though it was strictly about business. Except for Zarbon….she wasn't sure what that was about. And it didn't seem that he had told Goku about anything that happened between them the night before, at least from what she could tell.

"Alright." Goku relented, not wanting to press Bulma on the subject any further. "Hey, I've got to get going. Got things to do. Need to see Master Korin, then head back to Vegetasei."

"Okay." Bulma answered numbly, sighing softly as she turned her attention from the painting back over to her best friend. "Are you gonna be around tomorrow?"

"Probably. I'll be going back and forth. If you need me for anything, call Chi-Chi and let her know, and I'll catch you the next time I'm around."

"Sounds good." she said, giving Goku a warm smile, although he did not miss the sadness hidden behind it.

"Oh and…sorry to be the one to have told you…about what Yamcha said and everything. But I had to." he began somewhat apologetically. "I don't think it was something he would have told you."

Bulma gave him a half-hearted smile. "It's okay, Goku. Don't feel bad. Thanks for telling me what he said. And I don't blame you for punching him, he deserved it. You're a good friend."

"Hey, I thought I was your _best_ friend?"

Bulma actually laughed a little. "You _are_ my best friend, Goku. You're the best friend I could ever have." she said genuinely.

He gave her a big smile as he raised two fingers to his forehead, getting ready to teleport away. "Good. I'll see you later. Love ya."

"Love ya too." Bulma automatically replied as she watched Goku disappear into nothingness. Her smile remained on her face for a few moments, wondering how he could manage to make her smile, even at the worst times. As the seconds rolled by, her smile slowly faded away, and she sighed heavily. Reality had a nasty way of rearing its ugly head at her, as she remembered she had schematics and blueprints to continue working on, as well as a gravity formula and endless abstract equations on how to bring that damned gravity room to 2000 times Earth's gravity without having it implode or explode on itself.

She left the rec room, making her way to the kitchen to grab a much needed meal. She hoped her mother wasn't in there, because she really wasn't in the mood to deal with more of her questions. And while she was at it, she needed to make some coffee, actually _a lot_ of it, because she was probably going to be up all night tonight working on the gravity room…

After all, she needed to figure out how in hell she was going to build it in less than 6 weeks.

* * *

Damn Kakarot.

And damn Bardock.

Them and their infernal meddling.

Vegeta growled deeply within his chest as he stood unyielding, glaring at his destroyed gravity room with contempt. He should have taken the medic seriously when he had told him that he would find a way to get him out of his meetings.

If it wasn't for Kakarot damaging his gravity room beyond repair, then _none_ of this would have happened. The woman would have been able to fix his machine, even if it would have taken her a few extra days. Sure, she would have griped about it, but she would have done it, and things would have gone back to the way they always were.

There would have been no need for her to build a completely new gravity room, despite the fact that he knew he would have needed a new and improved one soon enough.

She wouldn't have had to come to him about the supplies and for the funding for it.

He wouldn't have had to leave off-planet with her, only to add her to his accounts and to everything he owned.

They would have never had lunch, and she would have never seen that damned holographic device that advertised the meteor shower event.

She would have never asked him to go, and they would have gone back home after getting the supplies and materials.

If it wasn't for his damned affection for her, they would have never gone to Demesor. They would not have spent the night together.

They would have never danced.

They would have never seen the meteor shower.

She would have never kissed his cheek as a thank you.

He would have never given in to the impulse to kiss her, and she would have never kissed him back.

No matter how right it had felt.

And they, now forever changed, would have never begun to fall apart from each other.

Vegeta winced at the indescribable ache in his heart, his chest tightening at the sensation, as his train of thought reached that point. He crossed his arms tightly over his chest, trying to put pressure on it as he shifted his weight from one leg to the other. He tried to ease the discomfort he was feeling, but it was becoming increasingly apparent to him that maybe there was something the matter with him after all. He scoffed, his handsome face forming into a stern frown as he dismissed the idea, continuing to stare at the ruins. Visiting his destroyed gravity room had been a mistake and he sighed heavily in frustration with himself.

After getting out of the shower and trying to shake off the uneasy sensations he was having, he had gotten dressed and went to meet with Raditz and Nappa. They had already begun to spar with each other and he decided he could wait his turn. As it was, he felt he could not concentrate completely on his training, and how could he? He was locked down on his planet for who knew how damn long, obligated to attend infuriating political meetings. The Icejin threat now lingered heavily upon him, and his mind ran through insane ideas on how he could try to become as strong as he could in what little time he had. This brought him back to his gravity room, which he unwisely chose to re-visit as he waited rather patiently for Nappa and Raditz to finish their warm-up. The destroyed chamber looked no better to him than when he had seen it yesterday, and seeing it only reminded him of the beautiful, genius, blue-haired woman who was embedded in his heart as much as his very own pride.

Much against his own will, all he could think about was Bulma, and it was infuriating. As Vegeta glared at his broken gravity room, it wasn't over just the obvious, like how she designed and built him whatever he wanted, and fixed anything and everything that he broke or destroyed…it was over _everything else _that filled those gaps in-between.

The times they spent together growing up and living with each other.

The times they were confined to the large library in the palace, studying upon hours and hours over each other's planets and the history behind their races, as well as on many other races and planets that existed in the known universe.

The times they would go to the beach and spend lazy afternoon and evenings talking about whatever came to mind.

The times he would sneak them away from their bedrooms when they couldn't sleep, and fly her up to the highest part of the palace roof, where they would lay together and gaze out into the vast night sky, dotted with endless stars.

The times where they would sit side by side in the conference room, bored out of their minds, passing each other looks as they silently communicated, being able to read the bullshit that some ambassadors tried to feed his parents.

The times where he would come into the medical ward and she would tend to him, cleaning up his wounds and bitching at him at the same time about how reckless he could be with his training.

The times that she would actually come to the grand dining hall and grab a bite to eat and sit with him, even if it was only for a few minutes before she had to get back to whatever work she had.

The times that they would walk past each other in the palace hallways and he would purposefully bump his arm against her to annoy her, only for her to turn around and quickly smack his arm in response.

The times that she would sit with his family at the arena, cheering him on as he competed in tournaments of strength and rank.

The times he would visit her in her lab as she worked, and complain about the messy state she always worked in and began to rearrange things, only to have her yell at him not to mess up her organized chaos and try to kick him out.

The times where he would be training for hours on end, and she would bring him food and water and insist that he take a break before he killed himself.

The times that she would be outside when it was stormy, enjoying the warm rain, no matter how soaked she got, to which he would yell at her to get inside, reminding her she was human and not Saiyan, and could easily get sick.

The times that she would be restlessly roaming around the palace when she could not sleep or was distressed over something, and he would find her and walk alongside her, because he found he could not sleep if she was unable to also.

The countless times she annoyed him to no end with her incessant chatter and persistence to do what she said, always challenging him and standing up to him with no fear at all of any consequences, because honestly, she was the only one he would let get away with it, and they both knew it.

The times she would smile at him, or hear the beautiful sound of her laughter, which confounded him at times, because sometimes no matter how hard he tried, he could not get her angry if she was happy with him, or feeling in a playful mood with him.

The times he would stand with an amused look on his face, smirking at her as she tried to piss him off, because sometimes he was happy with her and felt playful with her too.

So much history between them, and at the moment if felt that every_thing_ and every_where_ on the damned planet reminded him of her. And as the prince stood drowning in indescribable emotions over her, the ache within his chest twisted a little tighter, the sensation pulsating alongside the beating of his heart as the anguish surged through him. The strength of it was almost overwhelming, and he began to feel a real concern, knowing there was something very wrong with him. It was a day since their falling-out, yet to him it felt like time was torturing him with the idea that he and her would never be okay again.

And this was the state Vegeta was in when Goku arrived.

After making a quick stop at Korin's Tower to say hello and receiving a small bag filled with a generous donation of senzu beans, Goku focused on Vegeta's energy signal. He had no trouble at all sensing him as he teleported instantly to Vegetasei. The scene in front of him surprised him as he suddenly found himself looking at the wrecked damage of a familiar gravity room that he had sabotaged earlier the previous day. He lowered his fingers from his forehead, glancing over at Vegeta nervously. He was dressed in his full battle gear, yet he didn't look as though he had been training or sparring with anyone yet. Not having forgotten the threat that Vegeta had made about cutting his tail off, Goku quickly wrapped his furry appendage around his waist securely, his ki spiking in tension as he believed he just teleported himself into a waiting trap.

The Saiyan prince stood nearby, his strong arms crossed tightly over his broad chest, his long tail swinging in irritation and impatience as he made no acknowledgement at first of Goku's arrival. '_His timing…impeccable as always…'_, Vegeta thought to himself in sarcasm as he reigned in his emotions and tried his best to stabilize his energy signal now that Goku was there. Aside from Bulma, Goku was the second best when it came to getting a read on him, and if earlier that evening in the throne room was any indication, he was sure the third-class Saiyan could feel there was something the matter with him. But instead, the prince sensed Goku's ki waiver in apprehension and in…._fright?_ "Calm down, Kakarot. You are keeping your tail. For now."

Goku gulped nervously, unsure if he was being lulled into a false sense of security, wondering if Vegeta was angry enough to trick him into thinking he escaped his punishment, only to turn around and rip his tail from his body when he least expected it.

Upon sensing Goku's ki still nervous and tense, Vegeta sighed in frustration. "Violence solves 99% of my problems, Kakarot. Welcome to the fucking 1%." he finished in an stern tone as he continued to survey his damaged gravity room. What was the point in cutting his tail off? It would not reverse the additional damage he had caused to his gravity room. Cutting off his tail would not make him feel better about everything that happened yesterday. Cutting off his tail would not change anything at all. It would not make him happy. It would only serve to hurt his rival, and the only way he liked to hurt him was during a spar, or during a tournament. He needed Kakarot at his very best at all times, needed him to grow in strength along with him and have him at his very full potential, because he was the only other Saiyan who was remotely close to his own power. He didn't want the added weight of guilt by disgracing Kakarot over something trivial like destroying his property. Cutting off his tail was simply not worth it.

At hearing this, Goku relaxed somewhat, although he remained in a guarded state. This was very unlike Vegeta, but to have felt Bulma's odd energy signal only a few moments ago, and to feel his disturbed signal now, almost side-by-side of one another, it only confirmed that there was something very wrong with the both of them. Whatever it was, they were both being affected the same exact way. Goku's urge to get to his father and talk to him about what he was sensing from both him and Bulma was something he needed to do as soon as he had the chance…but if what he was sensing from Vegeta was any indication, it looked like it wasn't going to be anytime soon. "I talked to Bulma."

Vegeta remained silent at first, giving no sign of acknowledgement that he heard Goku at all as he kept his dark gaze steady on his gravity room. The tension rolled off of him in waves as the quiet moment continued. "Get on with it." his gruff voice broke the silence, ready to hear what the woman had to say…if she even said anything to begin with.

"You're not going to like hearing this." Goku warned as matter-of-factly as he could.

"Hn." Vegeta responded in a grunt, already knowing that he wouldn't.

Goku took a deep breath and breathed it out in one big huff. He nervously ran a hand through his wild, dark hair and he reluctantly told Vegeta what she said. Oh boy, here went nothing. "I told her about the gravity room needing to be done sooner. She said that she can't build it any faster, and that you'll be lucky if you get it in the six weeks she quoted you….that you're crazy, and who in hell do you think you are."

Vegeta growled, pulling his arms away from his chest as he clenched his hands into fists. "I'm the fucking Prince of All Saiyans!"

Goku tried to hide his smile. "And that's exactly what I told her."

For a split second, Vegeta understood the humor in the exchange, although he remained stone-faced and serious. "And?" he persisted impatiently, wanting to hear the rest.

"And she said that what her and Zarbon talked about last night was none of your damn business, and that if you don't like it, you can go to Earth and tell her that yourself."

"That insufferable woman!" Vegeta shouted in barely-restrained fury, his ki flaring up in response to her defiance. Even lightyears and worlds apart, and she _still_ managed to continually provoke his temper and piss him off to no end. He was infuriated with her, but equally the fire he had for her remained ablaze. She still had the audacity to challenge him, in spite of everything that was going on between them….and it was something that deep down he could still respect and admire about her. He was glad she was not there in front of him because right now he felt torn between yelling at her and kissing her in angered desire….even if she pushed him away a second time. The hurt coursed through him again as he thought about her rejection, and he composed himself, trying to mask his heartache with anger. It was easier for him to lock his emotions away and replace the gap with physical pain, and he knew exactly who to take it out on. "So that's the way she wants to be?! FINE!" he barked in aggravation as he turned around and glared at Goku, his tail lashing about in irritation. "You know, I was trying to decide on an appropriate punishment for you, Kakarot. Violence might not always be the answer, but it serves as a good distraction. Since you destroyed my gravity room and have caused more than a fucking headache for me, you and I are sparring in 10 minutes, understood?!"

"Aw, no mercy, huh?" Goku tried to joke lightly, but he could tell Vegeta was deadly serious as the promise of pain and blood and broken bones was clearly evident in his voice. Goku's strained smile turned into a worrisome look on his face. "Okay…" he trailed off. He knew the anger that Vegeta had was not all aimed at him, even though technically he could be traced back as the beginning source of it. "…I'll go change into my armor." Goku finished miserably, taking to the air and flying back to his room to hurriedly change and meet Vegeta outside on the training grounds for what he was sure was going to be one hell of a beating.

Still, they would only grow stronger from this, and Goku was all up for helping him become as strong as he could. If Vegeta felt a threat from the Icejins, then Goku would follow his instincts also. He didn't know what good he could really be when the Icejins arrived, but if Vegeta ended up needing his help, he would be ready and fight by his side and give his own life before he let anyone else lose theirs. That was his own promise, as Goku reflected on Vegeta's own promise that he would go to extreme lengths to protect Bulma and his empire.

The sounds of their sparring resounded through Vegetasei's night sky, as energies crackled and collided in brilliant sparks of colorful light and thunderous booms. Vegeta spent the rest of the evening and well into the late night training and sparring against Goku and the others, drowning himself in blood and sweat, broken bones and multiple senzu beans, suffering through horrible pain and gruesome injuries only for the enormous gains in strength that he needed. It was much easier to for him to ignore the emotional anguish that was afflicting him when he focused and concentrated on physical pain. He could always handle physical pain, but the inner torment over Bulma was quickly becoming something that threatened to overtake him if he did not keep himself busy and keep his thoughts away from her. And for the meantime, it worked, as he pushed Goku and Nappa and Raditz to attack him and try their best to defeat him.

* * *

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Capsule Corp was dark and quiet, except for a single laboratory room, where a brilliant scientist and engineer was still awake. For the majority of the evening and well into the late night, Bulma had thrown herself into her work, locking herself in her lab and forcing herself to ignore the haunting, unrelenting thoughts that told her that she and Vegeta were never going to be okay again as she tried to her best to concentrate on designing and planning the construction of his new gravity room.

Nevertheless, the uneasiness settled deeply within her, and she fought against the feelings of desolation and depression, even as it coursed through her body and pulled and tugged at her heart. It was overwhelming at times, the separation between them continuing to grow as she began to wondered how she was going to live almost the rest of her life without him. And as she drowned herself in her work, the persistent ache continued to grow, her chest now and then stinging in pain momentarily before quickly fading away. She began to worry that she must have been getting sick. She tried to her best to ignore how she was physically feeling as she worked on her project, resolving that if she did not feel better by the time she woke up in the morning, she would have her father take a look at her.

Bulma sighed half-heartedly, sitting back in her chair heavily as she threw her pencil down, looking over countless pages of schematics and blueprints. She glanced over at her multiple computer screens, having already plugged in the some of the data for the physical foundation of the gravity room. So far it was going as well as she could hope, the construction of it looked promising…until she frowned at the screen that awaited further input of the gravity formula. She had given up on the formula a couple of hours ago, as her screen continually flashed red and beeped a few times in alert that the proposed calculations were being rejected. It was unbelievably frustrating as she mulled over her calculations and reprogrammed them into the computer, always ending with the same alert that her calculations were incorrect. Her algorithm had multiple sections to it and she wasn't sure which part of her formula was causing the error. She had decided she wasted enough time over a stupid gravity formula and over a computer who thought it was smarter than her. Bulma rolled her eyes at the screen that awaited a modified formula, choosing to ignore it as she went back to her screens that held nothing but geometrical figures and abstract measurements for the physical construction of the machine. She could worry about the gravitational formula later, she reasoned to herself, as she glanced at the corner of her computer screen and saw it was almost 5 in the morning.

Surprised at how fast time seemed to fly, she decided to take a break since she had been working on the gravity room for hours upon hours already. As she took the time to slow down and pause, she realized how mentally and emotionally drained and exhausted she really was. She sighed breathily, propping her elbows on her desk and gently holding her head in her hands, glancing numbly up at the computer screens. To the average person, it looked like nothing but a great big mess of confusing math, geometry, and architecture, but to Bulma, everything on her screen meant the difference between life and death for Vegeta. Everything had to add up to perfection…. all the quantum physics, all the quantum electrodynamics, all the quantum mechanics, all the advanced calculus and architectural theory _had to_, otherwise his gravity room would fail and kill him.

The very thought of it made her chest ache again in that same indescribable way she had been feeling most of the night, and she shifted in her seat uncomfortably, groaning slightly in complaint as she rubbed her face, trying to shake off the sensation and wake herself up and get back to work. The irony was not lost on her that she complained about finishing the gravity room in 6 weeks, and now her timeline had been significantly moved up. She would love to have that 6 week deadline again, but apparently Vegeta needed this room completed as soon as possible more than she needed rest and sleep.

Bulma arose from her seat, stretching her body as she yawned sleepily, knowing she had to find it within herself to continue working. Then again, if she didn't get any rest and rushed through this without a clear mind, she was bound to make mistakes. Like with her gravitational formula.

Damn that formula, she thought to herself as she turned off the lights to her lab and made her way through the complex to her room. Why the hell wasn't her math adding up? It didn't make any sense to her. Maybe the computer was rejecting her calculations because the room could simply not withstand 2,000 times Earth's gravity? Her beautiful face furrowed in a frown. That couldn't be true, otherwise the computer would have alerted her to the failure of her proposed measurements for the materials she was going to construct it from. She definitely was going to need to have her father look over her current calculations. Maybe he would be able to see where she was faltering at.

That was a good idea, she thought to herself, as she collapsed face-first onto her comfy bed, hugging her pillow with both arms as she tried to find a comfortable position to sleep in. And after he did, maybe he could check her and see what was the matter with her if she didn't feel any better when she woke up. Bulma hoped that she would, as she couldn't help but wonder how Vegeta was feeling also. The ache in her chest returned, pulsing a bit as she thought about him, and she shifted uneasily. It hurt too much to think of him, and her self-tormenting thoughts about how he might be handling things did not help anything. Wearily, her eyes glanced over at the red numbers on her alarm clock, seeing it was almost a quarter past 5am. She closed her eyes. She only needed a few hours of sleep, she reasoned with herself, and then she would get back up, fuel her body with more caffeine, and get back to work. All she hoped for as she felt herself falling asleep was that she had no bad dreams tonight. She wanted nothingness. No existence. Just wanted to sink into a deep, dark oblivion, void of all thought about Vegeta.

This time Bulma knew she was dreaming, as she found herself in a familiar place. She looked down at herself, reaching to her wedding gown and placed some of the lacy fabric between her fingers, feeling the material. She sighed and looked up, seeing a long aisle in front of her. The pews inside the church were empty for the most part, except for the very front ones, which held her close family and friends. She could see Yamcha standing up at the altar, waiting for her to arrive. She felt a gentle squeeze on her right arm, and she looked at her father, who was at her side.

"Are you ready, sweetie?" her father asked her.

Bulma sighed and turned her attention away from her father and back to Yamcha. "Not really." she answered, as her father began to guide her down the aisle. Bulma reluctantly followed, walking slowly alongside her father as she glanced around. The church was beautiful, but she didn't understand why it was almost empty. Where was everyone? This was a massive wedding, yet no one came? She continued to look around, admiring the beauty of her wedding that her dream presented her, although she could find no happiness in it. She looked around for Vegeta, hoping that somehow he would be around, somewhere, but he was not there.

"Don't be nervous, muffin. It will all be over and done with soon." she heard her father say, and a slight shiver of unease ran though her at the cryptic message he gave her. Before she knew it, her arm was being handed over to the groom, and Bulma looked at their arms interlocked, before glancing up and seeing Yamcha's happy, smiling face.

"You're beautiful." he told her, to which Bulma glanced down at herself again. She supposed that she was, although she didn't not know what she looked like in her wedding dress.

She looked back up at him. "I don't know if I am."

Yamcha seemed to ignore her comment as he brought her closer against him. She instinctually winced, remembering last time in her dream he had hurt her arm, but there was no pain to be found this time around. It surprised her, and she took the time to look around her dream some more. Was this really what she wanted?

The presiding official was speaking, but she paid him no mind to what he was saying as she mulled over her thoughts. Bulma glanced over behind her shoulder, seeing her mother and father, and Goku and his family, as well as Krillin, Master Roshi, Turtle, Master Korin, Yajirobe, Oolong, Puar, Tien, Chiatzou, and even Piccolo there to watch them get married. She shot them a half-hearted smile, but no one smiled back at her. Her own smile faltered as she saw the serious looks on their faces. She glanced away from them and looked behind her other shoulder, looking around for Vegeta, but he was nowhere in her dream to be found. He had told her he would not be there to watch her marry him, and even though she yearned to have him appear in her dream, he did not. She kept glancing over at Yamcha, expecting him to transform into Vegeta at any moment, but he didn't. What did this mean?

"Bulma, do you take Yamcha to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or worse, until death do you part?"

At hearing this question, she looked at Yamcha expectantly, almost anticipating him to turn into Vegeta. Surely at this point in her dream, he would, right? And as the seconds rolled by, she realized that Yamcha would remain to be Yamcha. She also realized that she felt no pain or heartache when she thought of Vegeta. Was this a sign? They really were separated forever now, weren't they?

Bulma hesitated in answering, and expected Yamcha to answer for her, or at least get mad at her for not responding right away like he had done in her previous dream, but he continued to look at her softly, his look mixed with concern for her and….love? Everything in this dream had changed. She took a serious moment to think. She could make this work, right? Her and Yamcha had been through more than their own share of rough patches in their relationship throughout the years, and they could get though this one also, couldn't they? With Vegeta no longer coming to Earth, there would be no more tension between them. No more arguments. They would be happy together. She loved Yamcha, didn't she?

She could make it work, Bulma told herself. _She could make this work. _

"Yes." she answered softly, agreeing to marry Yamcha.

As soon as the word passed her lips, she felt a strong choking feeling grip tightly around her throat. She let out a strained gasp as the overwhelming force prevented her from speaking. Alarmed, she let go of Yamcha's arm, bringing her own hands to her throat, trying to claw at whatever invisible force was choking her. She tried to grab Yamcha's attention, but he kept his gaze on the presiding official who was finishing up on marrying them. She turned around toward her parents and friends, trying to plead with them to help her…that something was wrong with her, but her voice was silenced, and they did not seem to notice her distress.

"You may now kiss your bride…" she heard the official say, and felt herself being turned around abruptly as she looked fearfully into Yamcha's eyes as she saw a wicked smile on his face.

"You should have never said yes." Yamcha told her, before he forced a kiss onto her lips. Bulma could not shriek or even squeal in panic as she tore herself away from him. She tried to yell at him as the her rage took over, only to see a smug look on his face. "Nothing to say, Bulma? How about now?" he said, snapping his fingers on one hand as the invisible force choking her suddenly let up.

"What the fuck are you doing to me?!" Bulma shouted, finally finding her voice as she was overwhelmed with fury and alarming panic. "How dare you, you son of a b…" her voice was cut off again as she watched Yamcha snap his fingers again, the invisible force silencing her voice.

"I told you I would have control over you." Yamcha told her, and Bulma's eyes widened in panic. She clenched her hands into fists and tried to pound on his chest in fury, only to have him catch her wrists in his hands, holding her back. She thrashed in rage, trying to pull her wrists away from his grip, but it was no use. "You're never going to see Vegeta again. _I'm going to kill him_."

She looked at Yamcha in genuine fright. A horrible sinking feeling came over Bulma as this dream about her wedding was really just a nightmare beautifully disguised. She continued to toss and turn in her sleep, unable to wake herself up as she suffered through her dream. Luckily, it was her mother who came to her rescue. After realizing she did not come down for breakfast right away, she had thought maybe Bulma was taking her time waking up and showering. But as the clock passed 10am and she had yet to make an appearance, Bunny went to her room to check on her. As she neared her door, she heard small, panicked squeals and what sounded like a muffled struggle, which prompted her to hurriedly open the door to her room. She saw her daughter was still asleep, and having what seemed to be a nightmare. "Bulma! Bulma, wake up!" Bunny said, quickly walking to her bed and placing her hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her down and shake her in hopes of waking her up.

Bulma woke up in a startle, quickly sitting up and trembling from indescribable emotions. She looked around in a panic, forgetting where she was, or what day it was, or what in hell was going on. It was then that she was hit with that all-too-familiar ache she had been suffering from ever since her falling-out with Vegeta. She winced in discomfort as she brought her hands over her chest, feeling the ache pulsate through her intensely for a moment before it began to fade away again.

"Oh honey, you're shaking." Bunny murmured worriedly as watched her daughter wake up in such a startle. She saw her daughter look at her blankly; she must have read the worry that was set strongly on her face. Bunny sighed softly as she raised her dainty hand to her daughter's beautiful face, gently brushing her bangs away from her forehead and tucking them behind her ear. "Bulma, are you okay?"

"I'm fine mom, stop asking me that." she responded rather grumpily. "Just had a bad dream. It was nothing." Bulma reassured sternly, the tone in her voice conveying that she did not want to talk about her dream, or how she was feeling _at all_. She willed her heart to calm down as it continued to pound in her chest, reminding herself that it was just a fucking dream. A dream that did not mean anything, because dreams were illogical and were simply the products of her overactive mind due to the high levels of stress she was trying to deal with. Nevertheless, Bulma tried to hide her discomfort and pain she was feeling as she got out of her bed, breathing deeply to calm her frazzled nerves, trying to shake off how odd she was feeling. She placed one hand on her hip as the other was still pressed against her chest as she shifted uncomfortably. Whatever was still afflicting her...it wasn't going away. She had hoped she would wake up feeling better, but it looked she was going to have her father run some tests on her and see just what in the hell was wrong with her.

Bunny pursed her lips into a straight line. She knew her daughter could be stubborn, but if she was starting to have nightmares again, then she knew she was very disturbed about something. Considering the luck she had yesterday morning with trying to ask her what was the matter with her, she didn't think she'd get any answers from Bulma this time around either. Bunny sighed heavily. "Well, c'mon sweetie, you need to get going. You're already running late, and I'm sure Yamcha is getting restless."

"Running late? For what?" Bulma asked in confusion, still feeling strangely groggy and disoriented as her mother began to guide her over to her closet.

"For the wedding rehearsal. It's already past 10am!" Bunny said, urging Bulma to hurry up. The massive wedding was literally going to happen in a little more than 24 hours, and Bunny was finally starting to feel the pressure. Her daughter was late to rehearsal, which was never a good sign….Bulma hadn't even _tried on _her wedding dress yet, which in her opinion was just asking for bad karma….and plus she didn't even know what she was going to cook for lunch after the rehearsals, which was completely unlike her!

"What?" Bulma breathed, her voice unsteady as she took a moment to register her mother's words. Wedding rehearsal? She had forgotten about it, utterly and completely! She had only planned on sleeping for a few hours, waking up and continuing to work on the gravity room. Didn't she set her alarm?! She looked over at the device, seeing that she hadn't set a wake-up time like she thought she had. Son of a bitch. She frowned in displeasure as her mother pushed her into her walk-in closet. "Mom! Why didn't you remind me?!"

"You were locked in your lab almost all day yesterday!" Bunny countered, hurriedly tapping her foot as she watched her daughter hastily pick a shirt and jeans to change into. "How was I supposed to know you would _forget_ something like your wedding rehearsal?!"

"Oh for Kami's sake! What a great fucking way to start off the morning…" Bulma groused, quickly changing out of the clothes she was in yesterday and putting her new shirt and pants on, and quickly stepping into her flats as she emerged from her closet. "I don't have time for this, I've got things to do." she murmured as she took a quick look in the mirror, hastily putting her hair up in a ponytail, horribly frustrated with herself. She had an important deadline Vegeta demanded her to meet, and after the nightmare she just had, she was not looking forward to seeing Yamcha, especially after their last few words to each other yesterday evening. She had not even had time to think things through when it came to him! And she was feeling horrible…she wasn't any better than she was yesterday and she needed to have her dad take a look at her as soon as possible. "Un-_fucking-_believable…." she muttered, partly satisfied that she no longer looked like she just rolled out of bed, breezing by her mother as she exited her room and flew down the steps in record time.

Bulma grabbed her hover bike capsule and hurried outside, clicking the button and tossing the capsule on the ground, watching impatiently as the puff of smoke cleared. She hopped on it and started it up, traveling speedily throughout Capsule Corp grounds to one of the buildings that was serving as their makeshift church. She had opted for the wedding rehearsal to be held there on Capsule Corp grounds instead of the actual church, since she didn't want the media to know where she was getting married at. As it was, the actual church was not going to be decorated until tomorrow, and only a few hours before they got married, so that the media would not have a clue.

After all, how would they know which church in West City would be the one she was getting married in?

* * *

The room was eerily quiet that morning, except for the sounds of small mechanical gears every now and then whirling and twirling, as well as gentle, steady beeps that sounded from the single rejuvenation tank that was still currently in use. Bardock couldn't help but yawn and stand up, stretching out a bit in restlessness. By the time he had come into the ward earlier that morning, both Nappa and Raditz had already been healed and sent on their way for whatever their duties were for the day. Except for Kakarot. According to the other medics, Kakarot did not have the time to spend healing in the rejuvenation tanks as he consumed a senzu bean, informed them that he needed to be on Earth that day to spend time with his family, and teleported off-planet. That was unfortunate, because he had wanted to speak with his son and see if he had talked to Bulma after all or not.

Needless to say, the other medics happily ended their shifts and passed the next one over to him and the others, since the volatile prince still remained to be watched over and healed, and _no one _wanted to deal with him, for many feared him even more so after his powerful display the evening before. It was fine for Bardock though…normally, he preferred to monitor Vegeta and adjust his healing appropriately, but after reading the initial reports of his vitals and seeing that he had sedatives administered to him _again,_ and feeling his disturbed ki, even as the prince was unconscious…the worry over him set in even more deeply.

Now, hours later, Bardock walked over to the tank that currently held the prince, pressing a few buttons on the panel, patiently waiting for the machine to accept his command as it began to print out the latest reports. The last ones he had of Vegeta's readings were from a couple of hours ago, and as he carefully glanced over the new readings, the seriousness that crossed his face remained. He believed for sure, after another day, that Vegeta's ki signal would steady itself and level out. He believed that he would return to normal…but as he scrolled through the long strip of paper, he could clearly see that whatever this abnormality was, it remained embedded in Vegeta's life force. He had mulled over the readings the entire morning, seeing improvements to his physical health and healing, as all his vital stats were back to normal. His resting heart rate, his breathing pattern, his blood pressure…they were within Vegeta's normal parameters. His wounds were all healed now, and technically, he was _physically_ fine. Yet this anomaly in Vegeta's life force was somehow strong enough to continually show up on the readings, and he could still sense it, and it confounded Bardock to no end. Maybe it really was because he was somehow sick? Maybe it was because he was still not getting any rest. Yet, he had been sedated for the second night in a row, and this was what really alarmed him. Even under sedation, he should still be rested.

Ten minutes later, Vegeta's tank beeped an alert that the healing program had completed its cycle. Bardock walked over to it, pressing the button to purge the tank of the healing fluid. As the fluid drained, he stepped back, keenly observing Vegeta, watching him pull his breathing mask away from his face and open the door to get out. The disturbance in his ki signal continued to remain the same, no matter how much healing and medically-induced sleep he was getting. He frowned in concern. It would do no good to keep stating the obvious to him, it would only serve to anger him. "Your injuries were extensive."

"That's what you always say." Vegeta said, sounding groggy as he wiped as much of the healing fluid away from his face as he could. He took a few deep breaths, feeling the health back in his body, as well as the great influx of strength he had gained from his brutal night of training. He would have relished in that fact, if it had not been for the deep, painful sensation that returned to him, flooding him in a suffocating ache as it twisted within him again. He visibly winced, instinctually bringing his hand to his chest before stopping halfway, trying his hardest to suffer through the wave of whatever was hitting him and hide his discomfort from Bardock. What in the hell was _wrong_ with him? As the night had continued and he immersed himself in battle, he was sure that whatever was afflicting him had dulled and had begun to fade away. He even chose to sedate himself once again as he healed, in hopes that whatever was wrong with him would be cured by the healing tank or by simply resting. Nothing had worked, he thought bitterly, as the hurt returned with a vengeance.

Bardock couldn't help himself as he took a step towards him, reaching out in concern after feeling his ki spike up in pain. "Vegeta, what's the matter? What is wrong? Are you still hurt?" he demanded sternly, seeing him tense up and quickly turn away from him. Maybe the machine was wrong? Maybe he wasn't completely healed?

"I'm FINE, Bardock!" Vegeta barked, utterly frustrated and at his wit's end about everything. "Just leave me the hell alone! Stop asking me if I am okay!"

The medic kept silent, continuing to study him, watching Vegeta's tail snap around in agitation. "Are you ever going to get any rest, Vegeta?"

"While I'm healing." he said moodily. "I have to attend those infernal meetings from now on, and when I'm not, I have to train every waking minute that I can."

Bardock shook his head. "You need to rest."

Vegeta growled, quickly becoming irritated. "Why do you think I used sedatives again?! You know how I despise using them! It's the only way I will be able to sleep."

"I didn't say _sleep_, Vegeta. I said _rest_."

"What the hell's the difference?!"

"There's a big difference." Bardock said simply, holding up Vegeta's printouts and waving them at him in annoyance. "You need to tell me what is going on with you, so that I can help you. You can continue to tell me that you are fine and that nothing is wrong with you, but the data does not lie."

"I don't have time for this." Vegeta growled, wiping more of the healing fluid away from his face, shooting Bardock a dark glare. "Just do your job of healing me, and mind your own damn business when it comes to the rest, understood? Now if you will excuse me, I have to shower and attend a fucking conference." he ground out bitterly, storming out of the medical bay, almost ripping the doors off their hinges in the process.

Bardock sighed heavily, unfazed by his tantrum, having been so used to them by now. He walked back over to his station and placed Vegeta's reports on his desk, sitting down on his chair heavily. How could he help someone who did not want to help himself? He was the lead medic, he was only able to heal the prince physically, and whatever this abnormality was in Vegeta's ki, he was completely stumped on what to do about it. He needed to talk to Kakarot and see if he found out anything from Bulma in hopes that she would know what was the matter with him. Even better, if he could talk with Bulma herself, then maybe she could help him figure out what was the matter with him if she didn't now. After all, she knew him better than anyone, and if _he_ couldn't figure it out from a medical standpoint, maybe Bulma could think of something else that he wasn't thinking of.

* * *

On the outside, Yamcha looked cool, calm, and collected as uneasy murmurs ran throughout the building as everyone realized that Bulma was running late to the wedding rehearsal. As the clock continued ticking away, he thought she would not show up, and on the inside he was seething with anger and apprehension. It wasn't until the door opened and Bulma emerged from it that Yamcha's anger was quickly replaced with an overwhelming sense of relief. He didn't realize how badly he wanted her to walk through that door. He excused himself from some of the wedding planners and coordinators and he hurried over to her, noticing the uneasy look on her face. Still, he could not hide his happiness. "You're late."

"Yeah, I know. Sorry…" Bulma trailed off distractedly, looking past Yamcha and observing the building they were in, glancing down the makeshift aisle that was surrounded by numerous fold-up chairs that were standing in as a temporary substitute for the church pews. She glanced over the small crowd of wedding planners, coordinators and decorators who were there for the rehearsals, as well as other Capsule Corp employees and various other acquaintances of hers. "I didn't set my alarm…" she offered a simple explanation as she continued to look around, feeling a slight chill course through her. This wasn't the church, but her nightmare was still freshly in her mind, and she couldn't help but feel slightly panicked.

"I'm glad you came." Yamcha said, studying her for a moment, seeing that her attention was currently distracted. He turned a bit, trying to see what she was looking at. Not knowing what she was looking for, he turned back to her. "Hey, are you okay? You look a little pale."

"Yeah, I'm fine." Bulma brushed off, reaching behind her head to tighten her ponytail, ignoring the slight trembling of her hands.

"Are you sure? You're not getting sick, are you?" Yamcha asked in concern. Great. The last thing he needed was for her to come down with the cold or the flu and have to postpone the wedding another week or so. They were a day away from finally getting married, and something within him was telling him that he needed to marry her….the sooner, the better.

Bulma's ki spiked up in irritation. "I said I'm fine, Yamcha." Bulma said firmly, pushing his hand away from her forehead, wanting to ignore the subject. She saw his somewhat hurt look, and she sighed. "I'm sorry, I just woke up, and I haven't had any coffee, and I just want to get this over with." she said honestly.

Yamcha nodded in understanding. "Alright babe, whatever you want. C'mon, they're waiting for us. They have some coffee and doughnuts set up over there. I'll get you a cup, and a bite to eat." he offered, leaning in to give her a kiss on her cheek, which she allowed. Giving her a small smile, he headed over to the table that held the coffee and pastries to get some for her, while Bulma took in a deep breath and let it out shakily. She began to walk down the makeshift aisle to join in what was supposed to be an exciting time in her life, only to feel quite the opposite.

A few hours passed as the wedding rehearsal continued and Bulma had tried to shut down inwardly, willing herself to ignore her worries and fears and stress and panic that threatened to overtake her. It was all in vain, because all the while a hundred things ran through her mind.

She could do this, right?

She could marry Yamcha.

Sure, they had a rollercoaster of a relationship for the past 10 years. When things were good, they were great. When things were bad, they were unbelievably horrible. In the end, they stuck with each other and made it work.

Yamcha wasn't like the way he was in her dreams. Sure, he may have said some things about her and Vegeta, but she had to reason that he said those things only out of anger, like he had said he did. Besides, with Vegeta no longer coming to Earth, they wouldn't fight anymore.

She could do this.

She could marry Yamcha.

He loved her. Probably loved her more than she really believed. Probably more than she really knew.

She could trust him. She would learn to. When it came down to it, he wasn't with her for her fame, or her money, or for her beauty. He didn't even know who she was when they first met. Sure, sometimes he used her money, or her fame to his advantage, but overall it was for nothing truly bad. Was it wrong for her to have tried to uphold him to a higher standard?

When it came down to it, Yamcha was only human.

She could do this.

She could marry him.

The bad things were behind them. He paid for his infidelity, and had been making up for it ever since. She would make an effort to spend more time with him, give him the time and attention he wanted from her, and be around more.

She could make this work.

After all, she wasn't getting any younger. She wanted to get married. She wanted to have kids someday soon. She wanted love. She wanted a happy life.

If she didn't want to marry him, then she wouldn't have said yes to him. If she didn't love him, she wouldn't have said yes. If she didn't want it to work between them, then she wouldn't be here right now.

Yes, she could do this.

She could marry Yamcha.

The indescribable ache continued to flow through her veins as she tried to rationalize everything and override her very own heart. The sensation persisted, unrelenting and pulsing through her throughout the rest of the morning and into the early afternoon as Bulma numbly went through the motions of the rehearsals, her mind heavily distracted from what she was doing.

It wasn't until the rehearsals began to come to a close that she started to physically show her discomfort, every now and then leaning her weight against a wall, or taking time to sit down as she breathed through the sensation. It was not getting any better at all, and she tried to suck it up and suffer through it, but this time the ache twisted strongly within her chest, feeling like some invisible force was pressing against her lungs as she watched people begin to leave. It was getting to the point that she was getting very concerned over it.

"Babe, what's wrong?" she heard Yamcha's voice as he came over and kneeled beside her as she sat in the chair, placing his hands on her thigh.

"Nothing…" she winced slightly, trying to sound like she was okay, when she clearly wasn't.

"You've been kinda off all day. I think you're getting sick." he began, looking up at her with concern. "Maybe you should have your dad take a look at you."

Bulma sat sullenly, unhappy about the idea of taking more time out of her day to get herself checked out, instead of working on the new gravity room. "No, I'm fine. Besides, I don't have time. I have work to do."

"Bulma…" Yamcha began sternly, "…if you're not feeling well, you need to see your dad. I don't want to postpone our wedding just because you got sick." He sighed, feeling bad for letting his frustration get to him. He softened the look on his face, his voice full of concern again. "Look, please just go see your dad. Please?"

"Fine." Bulma relented, standing up and getting ready to leave and go track down her father. He probably was down in his lab.

"Hey, I'll see you tomorrow." Yamcha said, grabbing Bulma around the waist and leaning in, kissing her on her lips quickly before she took off.

He did not notice that she did not kiss him back as she pulled away and left the building, on the search for her father.

* * *

Bulma rode back through the complex to her home. Instead of seeing her father right away, she went to her room to take a quick, warm shower, trying to calm her nerves over the worry that something was seriously wrong with her. She changed back into some casual clothes, avoiding the kitchen where her mother was currently serving a late lunch to some people that were at the rehearsals. She couldn't help but smile slightly, her mother always loved to feed people and she was the best hostess she knew.

She walked through her house, heading down the winding hallways to the lower sublevels of the complex, finally reaching her dad's laboratory. She bit her lip, hesitant to press the intercom button. Reluctantly, she pushed the button, waiting for a response.

"Yes?" she heard her father's guff voice ring out.

"It's me Dad. Can I come in, or are you busy?"

"I'm never too busy for you, muffin." she heard him say as a beep was heard, and the lab door was unlocked. Bulma walked in, seeing his lab in as haphazard of a shape as her own. She knew she got her genius from him, but she also got his lack of organization also. She smiled. So what? They both worked in an organized chaos which some people could _not_ understand.

Like Vegeta, with him always bugging her to clean up her lab and organize things when he would come in and, according to him, almost breaking his neck trying to maneuver through the room. Then he would start to rustle though her things and try to organize and she'd get uptight about it and try to kick him out.

It was a mistake to think of Vegeta that way, as the familiar ache pulsed through her again. It only served to resolve that she really did need to find out what was wrong with her.

"What can I help you with, sweetheart?" Dr. Briefs asked her as he set down a small motor-looking device he was working on and cleaned off his oily hands with a shop rag.

Bulma mindlessly toyed with one of his uncompleted projects that was lying around, picking it up and inspecting it. It just reminded her that she needed to work on the gravity room. And that damned gravity bracelet for his birthday.

If he even wanted it.

She sighed with a heavy heart. "I've been feeling kind of…odd…lately. If you have a minute, think you can take a look at me?"

"Of course, we'll go right now." her father said, adjusting his glasses on his nose as he stood up and motioned gently to Bulma for them to leave the lab. As they walked upward, they headed to their own personal medical ward inside the complex.

"What's the matter? A cold? The flu?" her father asked, already starting an initial diagnosis.

Bulma shook her head. "No, I doubt it."

"Fever? Chills? Headaches? Trouble breathing?"

Bulma shook her head again. "No, nothing like that." she commented as she brought her hand to her chest again, feeling the ache within her spike again painfully.

"Hmmm…" Dr. Briefs pondered as they reached a room and entered, closing the door behind him. "Take a seat, sweetie." he said, watching as his daughter hopped up on the plush medical examining table. He walked over to the sink, washing his hands properly, getting the rest of the motor oil off of him. He then dried his hands and grabbed a stethoscope, putting it around his neck. "Well, let's see what's the matter with you." He grabbed a retinoscope, and shined the light in Bulma's eyes, taking a look at them. "Your eyes are good."

"Ow dad, the light hurts." Bulma complained, blinking rapidly a few times as she tried to shake off the dots in her eyes after he pulled it away from her. She complied to his silent request to turn her head to the left and to the right as he took an otoscope and looked inside her ears.

"No signs of an ear infection."

"Good." Bulma said, rubbing the outside of her ears after he took the device away, hating that ticklish feeling inside her ear canal.

"Alright, now open your mouth and say 'ah.'" Bulma complied to her request, as he used a tongue depressor and shined a light down her throat. "No inflammation or irritation. No signs of strep throat either."

"Guess that's good news." Bulma murmured, making a face as she tried to get the sensation of the wooden stick that was in her mouth to go away. It was bad enough that the ache she felt persisted, and being poked and prodded wasn't helping anything.

"Alright, now for your blood pressure." her father said gently, grabbing the cuff and wrapping it around her arm. He put on his stethoscope and began to pump the cuff with air, pressing the device to the bend of her elbow as he listened to her blood flow. Bulma waited patiently, mindlessly kicking her legs gently against the base of the examining table as she waited for her father to say something. After about 30 seconds, he released the pressure from the cuff. "Your blood pressure is normal. Perfect, actually."

"Really?" Bulma couldn't help but blurt. She found that surprising. She was sure with all the stress she was feeling that her blood pressure would have been off the charts. The way she was feeling lately, it should have been. But then again, she was in a quiet room with her father right now, whose calmness was highly contagious. She decided she could tell him a little bit about how she was feeling. "I've been feeling some chest pains. More so around the heart area…but really, mostly in my chest. And a bad aching feeling too."

"I didn't know that. How long have you been feeling this?" he asked as he placed his stethoscope over Bulma's heart, listening to it beat.

Bulma looked away from her father's concerned gaze, staring down at the floor as she tried to keep her emotions in check. "Since two nights ago." she answered numbly. Ever since her falling-out with Vegeta.

"For almost two days now? You should have come to see me sooner." her father chastised gently as he took the scope away from her heart, wanting to listen to her breathing in a relaxed, normal state. "What happened two nights ago?"

Bulma tried her hardest to not think of what happened, but it was useless as memories and feelings of her and Vegeta that night flooded her, and the unbelievable heartache coursed through her again as the pain resounded in her chest and she winced. She didn't want to answer his question as she waited for her father to finish his examination. He sighed, taking off the stethoscope and placing it down on the counter. She awaited his diagnosis.

"Your breathing sounds fine, I didn't hear any fluid in your lungs. Your heart sounds fine as well. I did not hear any murmurs or irregular beats. Physically, you are fine." her father said, looking at her in concern.

"But…." Bulma trailed off in confusion. It didn't make any sense to her. What she was feeling was _not_ in her mind. She was suffering for almost 2 days with whatever was wrong with her. Was she just supposed to keep dealing with it and hope that over time it would go away? "Dad, I don't understand…"

"I don't either. You don't show any signs of being ill. How about I draw your blood and run some tests?"

"What's the point? You won't get any results until tomorrow….and I need to feel better now." Bulma reasoned, pushing some of her long bangs out away from her forehead and tucking them behind her ear. She stepped down from the examining table. "If there are any at all."

"And that's the bad thing…tomorrow is going to be a very busy day." her father reasoned. "But you can't be getting married if you're not feeling well. Do you want some pain medication?"

Bulma grimaced at the idea. "No, you know I don't like taking medicine unless I absolutely have to. I'd rather suffer."

"I know, muffin. It was just an option." Dr. Briefs said as he began to put items away. An idea came to him, and he turned back to Bulma. "Say, why don't you go see Bardock and have him take a look at you? After all he's one of the top medics in the galaxy, isn't he?"

Bulma visibly tensed as she heard her father's words. Going to see Bardock meant going to Vegetasei, and she _did not _want to go there right now. Not if she could help it. She wasn't ready to possibly see Vegeta, or even talk to him. The very idea put her a slight panic, and she felt that damned painful ache travel through her again. This time she brought her forearm to her chest, pressing against it in an attempt to ease the discomfort. "No, thank you. I would rather take some pain meds. Where are they?" she asked, walking over to the cabinets and opening them up, sorting through various medications, searching for pain killers. She found some. Yes, these would work. They would take away the aches that she felt, and hopefully the pain in her heart and in her chest. They had to. No matter how much she hated medicine. No matter how much she hated the side effects.

"Now Bulma, stop." her father said, gently pushing her arms away and closing the cabinet doors, taking the bottle of pills she found. "It's not like you to do this. I can see you are in pain. Go see Bardock. Have him run some tests. Maybe he can catch something that I'm not seeing. He can even draw your blood and let you know right away if anything is wrong."

"I don't want to go over there." Bulma said irritably, huffing in frustration as her father took the medication away from her. She kept one hand over her chest as she closed her eyes for a moment, riding through the wave of pain that hit her surprisingly harder this time.

"Since when do _you_ not want to go to Vegetasei?" Dr. Briefs asked in genuine surprise, eyeing his daughter almost suspiciously. He watched as Bulma remained silent, visibly suffering but being too stubborn to want to do anything about it. He watched her as she crossed her arms across her chest in an immoveable stance. It was reminiscent of Vegeta's own, and he couldn't help but make the comparison. Speaking of….where had he been lately? He hadn't seen him in days.

"Look dad, I really don't want to go over there. Just give me the medicine and I'll be on my way. I've got _a lot _of work to do, and practically _no time _to do it in." Bulma reasoned, reaching out with one hand, palm side up, expectantly waiting for her father to hand over the bottle of pills.

"It won't hurt to take an hour to go over there, have him run some tests, and then come back. I'm sure Goku will relay a message on any results that Bardock finds." her father countered, deciding to try a different tactic on his brilliant daughter. "Please Bulma. Do it for your dear ol' dad. You'll be gone and back faster than you know it. Please?"

"Alright dad. Just knock it off with the puppy dog eyes." Bulma relented, sighing in defeat. She knew he was right though, and couldn't argue with his logic. Something was wrong with her, and if her dad couldn't find it, she was sure Bardock could. Bardock was a damned genius when it came to anatomy and physiology, and the advances he made with medicine and diagnostics were far more advanced on Vegetasei than on Earth. They had to be, because Saiyans lived for the love of fighting, willingly hurting themselves, always healing rather quickly and growing stronger in the process. Bardock was the best medic in the galaxy for a damn good reason.

She just wished he wasn't on the same planet as Vegeta was.

"Okay, I'm going." Bulma muttered, letting her father give her a kiss on her cheek as a thank you before she walked out of the room. She made her way to the living room, avoiding being seen by the people still in the kitchen as she picked up the phone and dialed the Son residence.

* * *

Bulma waited anxiously, restlessly pacing around the living room. Goku had said he'd be right there, but that was what, 5 minutes ago? But it felt like forever to her as her nerves started to get the best of her. _What was she doing? _Was she really going to go to Vegetasei? Was she crazy? What if she wasn't allowed to be there? What if everyone knew what happened? What if she saw Vegeta?

She didn't know how she was going to handle seeing him.

She breathed in deeply and let out a shaky breath. She needed to calm down. She was only going to see Bardock, have him run some tests, then she'd have Goku teleport her back as soon as possible. She wasn't going anywhere else. That way, she reduced the probability of running into Vegeta. She didn't want to see him, and she was reasonably sure that he did not want to see her either. But what if he asked her about the progress on his gravity room? She was sure Goku had told him what she said. He was going to be pissed. She didn't even have the final gravity calculations and formulas finished yet! Not even the schematics or the blueprints for the actual construction of it! Not by a long shot.

All the thinking about Vegeta was driving her crazy, as the ache in her chest kept nagging at her and she huffed in annoyance. This was ridiculous. What in the hell was wrong with her? She wasn't sure if she had ever felt so uptight in her life before. Where the hell was Goku at?!

As if in answer, Goku suddenly appeared in front of her, getting in the way of her pacing as she walked right smack into him.

"Ugh, Goku!" Bulma complained as she bounced off of backwards from him a bit, feeling him grab the sides of her arms in an instinct to prevent her from abruptly falling down, which she probably would have.

"Whoops, sorry Bulma, didn't mean to." Goku said, letting go of her and watching her smooth out her shirt and run her fingers through her hair in an effort to fix it. When he had tried to sense her ki to teleport to her, it was all over the place, and he wasn't sure what was the matter with her. Now that he arrived, apparently she was tense about something, as he continued to sense out her ki. And that disturbance within her ki was still there, just like yesterday.

"It's alright." Bulma murmured, trying to calm down her jittery nerves. "I guess it would be hard to teleport to a moving target." she tried to joke. Goku laughed lightly, and hearing his laughter did much to soothe her anxiety. She saw the soft smile on his face, yet could not miss the worry in his eyes. "What is it, Goku?" she couldn't help but ask apprehensively, half worried he was going to tell her something bad.

"I hope my dad can help you." Goku said simply, the statement holding more meaning that Bulma could ever know. Vegeta was being stubborn about whatever was wrong with him, and whatever it was, Bulma seemed to be afflicted with it too. He suspected that they were both sick. They had to be. Maybe they had picked up some sort of virus when they were out together the other night? Goku couldn't be sure, plus he didn't know if his dad had anything figured out since he hadn't had a chance to talk with him yet. Well, that was about to change, since he was going to bring Bulma to him. Then he'd be able to feel what he was feeling from Bulma too. "Are you ready?"

"No, but let's go before I change my mind." Bulma said, feeling Goku put his hand upon her shoulder and give her a soft, reassuring squeeze. She gave him a half-hearted smile. "You're going to stick around while your dad runs the tests, right?" she asked, needing the reassurance of her best friend.

"I won't leave your side if you don't want me to." Goku reassured. After sensing her relax somewhat, he raised his fingers to his forehead and focused on his father's ki as they teleported off Earth and to Vegetasei.

Bardock had been at his workstation, mulling over Vegeta's printouts again when his son appeared abruptly in front of him, along with a blue-haired genius woman he had brought along with him. He had no time to be happy to see Bulma as Bardock had sensed it almost instantly…that _same_ uneasy disturbance in her life energy. He quickly looked at Goku, who returned a serious look on his face also. In that moment, a chill of realization hit Bardock as he looked at Bulma again, standing up from his seat in sudden alarm as he walked over to them. Now, after sensing her ki, he was almost 100% positive he knew what was the matter with Vegeta…and apparently with her also. He had to run some tests to confirm his suspicions, but if he was right, then this was much more serious than he had thought.

Perhaps the tests were unnecessary, because upon Bulma's arrival both he and Goku sensed Vegeta's powerful ki rapidly and significantly spike up. And as Vegeta's altered ki flared up, Bardock sensed Bulma's altered ki also spike and flare up quickly afterward, watching her as she brought her hands to her chest, unaware of what was going on as she winced in pain and discomfort from the sensation.

Vegeta knew she was there.

And they were both suffering in unbelievable hurt.

* * *

I know you hate it when I leave you at a cliffhanger. I would say I'm sorry about it...but I'm not lol.

What did you think of the chapter?! So many things going on in it! I hope you'll leave me a review and tell me what you think! I'm eager to get some feedback!

Some food for thought...Bulma is back on Vegetasei after almost 2 days of being apart from him. The divide between them isn't getting any better. How will she and Vegeta handle it? And we finally found out what Yamcha said to Goku. What did you think about that? Time is running out, as we are a day away from the wedding. A dream came back to haunt Bulma, but is it a premonition or just a manifestation of her stress like she believes? And Bardock knows what's the matter between Vegeta and Bulma, but is it already too late?

After all, this is where the end starts...


End file.
